see also: in August 2008:   CBP in New York Apprehends Suspected Interpol Fugitive   Louisville CBP Finds Heroin in Woman’s Suit   CBP Officers Nab More than $1 Million in Narcotics in 48-hour Period   Philadelphia CBP Seizes $650,000 in Fake Bank Checks   CBP on a Roll Seizing Fake Handbags, Footwear Again in California   Calexico Downtown Port Officers Intercept $100K Narcotic Smuggling Attempt   CBP Outbound Inspection Yields 293 Unreported Ostrich Skins ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers   SFI News   SFI: Secure Freight Initiative

contacts for this news release

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been working with several foreign ports to assess the feasibility and challenges of 100 percent security scanning of containers under the Secure Freight Initiative (SFI) trial. Earlier this year Singapore agreed to work with CBP on this trial to assess the feasibility of the approach in a major hub port. The SFI trial in Singapore was scheduled to begin in the second half of 2008.

Following careful consideration of the trial results and feedback from these pilot ports, CBP, has decided to focus on high-risk trade corridors in order to maximize the security benefit realized given the limited resources available to all governmental and private sector operators in the international supply chain as the most effective strategy to initiate 100 percent scanning.

Having discussed this change in strategy and its application to port operations in Singapore, CBP and the Government of Singapore have agreed not to proceed with the SFI trial in Singapore. Instead, CBP and the Government of Singapore will work together to explore alternative approaches toward enhancing container and trade security through risk management and a total supply chain security approach.

In particular, CBP and the Government of Singapore will actively work together to develop the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Trade Recovery Program, an effort aimed at helping APEC economies to resume the flow of trade in times of heightened security.

In addition, U.S. CBP and Singapore Customs are actively working towards mutual recognition for each others’ authorized economic operator programs. These programs build on the excellent relations between U.S. CBP and the Government of Singapore in supply chain security cooperation.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.