2007年VOA标准英语-Container Port Security Measures Go High Tech i

By Kane Farabaugh
New York City
11 May 2007
 
watch Container Security report

Security at container ports in the United States has been a major concern since the terrorist attacks in 2001.   Bipartisan support in the U.S. Congress increased funding for port security and placed an emphasis on testing all cargo¹ for radiological material.  As a deadline for implementing² that testing at all U.S. ports nears, VOA's Kane Farabaugh visited one testing site in New York City.

 
The New York Container  Terminal is within sight of lower Manhattan
They come and go by the thousands each day -- millions each year around New York City.

Steel containers – brought by ship from every corner of the world.  They hold the goods that help drive the world economy. 

But the head of the Department of Homeland Security's Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, Vayl Oxford³, knows the danger that can lurk⁴ behind each container door. "We're working everyday to deal with this problem," he says.

 
Vayl Oxford
The problem facing Oxford cannot be seen by the naked eye, and it has no odor:  radiological material that can fuel a so-called dirty bomb or worse.

Ninety-five percent of U.S. trade is handled at ports similar to this one on New York's Staten Island. But only five percent of the containers here are visually inspected.

So in some ways, the front line defense⁵ against a nuclear attack is between two trucking lanes.  Here, the next generation of nuclear detection is proving its value.

 
Trucks pass by these devices, which can detect radioactivity inside of the cargo containers
"What you see behind us is a combination of systems,” explains Oxford. “The systems that are closest to us in the camera view are existing operation systems that when a truck carrying any kind of radioactive material comes through it, detects the presence of that radiation, but cannot do anything to identify what may be causing that radiation.  The other systems, the other three systems, are new systems that are designed to be able to actually identify what that material is as opposed to just its presence."

Increased security immediately after the 9/11 terrorist attacks did not focus on shipping⁶, but instead on the aviation industry.

That changed dramatically in 2006 when lawmakers opposed a deal to grant control of six U.S. ports to a Middle East based company, Dubai Ports World.  Under scrutiny⁷, Dubai Ports World backed out of the arrangement.

But the furor⁸ over the ports deal generated bipartisan support for increased port security measures.  Later that year, lawmakers passed a Port Security Bill, earmarking more than $7 billion over five years to the effort.

 
The New York Container Terminal handles millions of cargo containers moving by ship, rail, and trucks
Part of that legislation requires advanced radiation detectors⁹ at the New York Container Terminal to be operational at all seaports¹¹ by September of this year.

"Right now as we look around the country,” says Oxford, “we're scanning 91 percent of all containers coming across our northern border, 96 percent across our southern border. And right now 90 percent of all maritime¹² containerized cargo like you see here today are being scanned through these kind of detection systems."

Those sound like good numbers, but Oxford says the goal for the Department of Homeland Security is 100 percent testing of all containers.

One objective of installing these advanced detectors at ports like this one on Staten Island is to see if installing them nationwide is feasible, both physically¹³ and financially.  Any slowdown here puts businesses in jeopardy¹⁴ and could cost them millions of dollars.  Oxford says he gauges¹⁵ success by how well the detection practices keep business running, and America safe.

"This isn't the only problem we're dealing¹⁶ with, however, cause we're also dealing with other avenues the threat might take.  So what you don't see here today is the work we're doing with the Coast Guard, the work we're doing with the Border Patrol.  And in some cases working with major metropolitan¹⁷ areas to give them similar kinds of capabilities¹⁸ so we end up with a layer defensive¹⁹ strategy not just one that's based on seaport¹⁰ defense."

Part of that "layer-defensive strategy" is the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol's Container Security Initiative.  It is a plan that involves dozens of international ports outside the United    States pre-screening cargo before it even reaches container terminals like this one in New York -- when it might be already too late to stop a radiological attack.

1 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

2 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

3 Oxford   

n.牛津（英国城市）

参考例句：

• At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
• This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

4 lurk   

n.潜伏，潜行；v.潜藏，潜伏，埋伏

参考例句：

• Dangers lurk in the path of wilderness.在这条荒野的小路上隐伏着危险。
• He thought he saw someone lurking above the chamber during the address.他觉得自己看见有人在演讲时潜藏在会议厅顶上。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

7 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

8 furor   

n.狂热；大骚动

参考例句：

• His choice of words created quite a furor.他的措辞引起了相当大的轰动。
• The half hour lecture caused an enormous furor.那半小时的演讲引起了极大的轰动。

9 detectors   

探测器( detector的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The report advocated that all buildings be fitted with smoke detectors. 报告主张所有的建筑物都应安装烟火探测器。
• This is heady wine for experimenters using these neutrino detectors. 对于使用中微子探测器的实验工作者，这是令人兴奋的美酒。 来自英汉非文学 - 科技

10 seaport   

n.海港，港口，港市

参考例句：

• Ostend is the most important seaport in Belgium.奥斯坦德是比利时最重要的海港。
• A seaport where ships can take on supplies of coal.轮船能够补充煤炭的海港。

11 seaports   

n.海港( seaport的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Airports have joined seaports as ports of entry for the visiting foreigner. 机场和海港一样成为来访的外国人的入境关口。 来自互联网
• Sanya has 16 seaports, 10 islands and 180km of coastline. 三亚有16个港口、10个海岛和180公里的海岸线。 来自互联网

12 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

13 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

14 jeopardy   

n.危险；危难

参考例句：

• His foolish behaviour may put his whole future in jeopardy.他愚蠢的行为可能毁了他一生的前程。
• It is precisely at this juncture that the boss finds himself in double jeopardy.恰恰在这个关键时刻，上司发现自己处于进退两难的境地。

15 gauges   

n.规格( gauge的名词复数 )；厚度；宽度；标准尺寸v.（用仪器）测量( gauge的第三人称单数 )；估计；计量；划分

参考例句：

• A thermometer gauges the temperature. 温度计可测量温度。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The fuel gauges dropped swiftly. 燃料表指针迅速下降。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

17 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

18 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

19 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。