Dubai becomes first Middle East port in CSI

Dubai becomes first Middle East port in CSI The United Arab Emirates will participate in the Container Security Initiative, becoming the first nation in the Middle East to commit to the U.S. cargo security program.
   The bilateral arrangement will allow U.S. customs inspectors to be stationed at the port of Dubai, the sixth-largest volume port in the world and a major transload center for shipments from Asia to Europe and North America. Inspectors will pre-screen cargo bound for the United States.
      “I applaud the government of the United Arab Emirates for assuming a leadership role in this region of the world,” said Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Robert Bonner in a statement. “The UAE has acknowledged the absolute importance of securing cargo against terrorists.”
   Twenty-one countries have signed up to implement CSI and U.S. personnel are operating in 32 foreign ports to identify high-risk cargo.