 Just another day in one of America's seaports. All along the dock, heavily laden freighters offload tons of cargo onto a waiting chassis, while other ships at adjoining berths fill their empty hulls with American-made goods and prepare to sail to distant ports on foreign shores. It's business as usual for this and scores of other seaports and cities all over the country and the world, as each day millions of tons of cargo is processed for import for export as part of a massive, ongoing international exchange of goods and merchandise. The world is truly moving toward a common order of supply and demand. More and more people are looking for goods and services from many different countries and because of this developing global economy, the sea lanes are becoming more crowded with freighters carrying every conceivable form of payload from one place to another. Seaports are truly at the heart of one of the largest industries in the world and because of this, they're the focus of this special video program. You need to know how seaports operate, understand the concerns they generate and be aware of the measures taken to safeguard cargo and passengers. The cargo terminal is the shipping and receiving point for an almost endless variety of cargo, which is brought into and out of the port by a number of vessels which are as different in their purpose as they are in their looks. Brakeball cargo such as fruit, paper and other palletized freight is transported by vessels with capacities of hundreds and hundreds of tons. Many of these ships have integrated cranes on board for the quick and easy movement of their payload from dock side to deck and back, specially designed tanker ships carry oil and other petroleum products. Other ships are designed to handle automobiles and other vehicles. These roll-on roll-off vessels as they are called have hulls which open up to allow the easy movement of cars, trucks and heavy equipment. There are barges specially designed to unload tankers offshore and transport the cargo to the port in smaller loads. Pilot boats moving from ship to shore and back transport harbor pilots whose job it is to navigate ships in and out of harbor waters and an endless supply of tugboats provide the necessary muscle required to maneuver heavily laden vessels into the port. Each of these ships have a very different mission within the framework of the shipping industry but they all have one thing in common, they're designed to move vast amounts of cargo quickly and easily over water. But once that cargo gets here it's the responsibility of the seaport. Let's take a look at how the port operates. The cargo for export enters the port through the outer security gate. When a truckload of goods or merchandise arrives here the driver produces his documentation to the gate attendant. This documentation itemizes his cargo and specifies the responsible shipping company. The attendant verifies the driver's papers to ensure that his cargo is a schedule shipment. He then documents the arrival of the truck on his roster, gives the driver a gate pass, and directs him to the on-port location of the responsible shipping company. It's here at the shipping company office where the drivers have their shipping documents verified and then, depending on the payload, are given clearance to deliver it to the container storage yard or a brake bulk warehouse. It's extremely important that when a load of cargo is finally delivered, it's delivered to the drop point specifically assigned to it. This ensures that when the on-load process for a freighter begins, all cargo assigned to that particular vessel can be located and loaded efficiently. In most cases, after his load has been delivered, the driver returns to the security gate, obtains clearance from the security guard, signs out, and then exits the port. The trailer he delivered to the container storage area will remain there until it's picked up by the longshoreman, transported to the dock and loaded onto the ship. From the time it's delivered to the port until the time it's loaded on board the ship, the shipping container should remain sealed to ensure the security of the merchandise inside. When the container is finally secured aboard ship, it becomes the responsibility of the shipping line and the ship's master. With a few variations, the import process is very similar to the export process, except in reverse. When a ship such as this one behind me comes into port, longshoremen offload the containers onto a waiting chassis. Then, after clearing customs and depending on its final disposition, each load of cargo is transported to a specified processing area. Containerized cargo is delivered to the container storage yard and will remain there until it's picked up by the company hired to transport it over land. Utilized cargo is transported to a breakbox warehouse where smaller orders for goods in specified quantities can be processed. Truckers with pickup orders for this type cargo will first obtain clearance from the main security gate and their shipping companies, then proceed to the appropriate shed and present their documentation. The attending longshoremen then fill the order from inventory. Seal the cargo container and present the documents to the driver. After leaving the facility, all trucks stop at the main gate. Here, the seals on the cargo container should be inspected for tampering and when appropriate, the cab search for any evidence of pilferage. When final out-processing is completed, the shipment is cleared to leave the port. The import and export processes here at the port are actually quite simple. The terminal acts as a kind of clearing house where goods are received, stored, processed, and then sent on to their next destination. Our goal at the port is to quickly unload the ships as they come in, the vessels, and to get it off to its next destination. And while it's in our trust, that cargo, we've got to make certain that it's protected, stored correctly, and efficiently handled. And that's why port security plays such a vital role, because we handle that cargo as if it were our own. And the shippers rely on us for that, as do all the people involved in between that transaction. As John Dever explained, the management of a thriving seaport is a big job, a job that encompasses a wide variety of responsibilities. But at a seaport, no job is bigger than security. The threat of theft, smuggling, and terrorism is ever present at a seaport operation, so a comprehensive security program is essential. As officers, you should understand the security concerns that are unique to the seaport environment and be aware of the safeguards and procedures that have been put in place to help satisfy those concerns. The first concern is access control. Access to the facility should be limited to as few gates as possible, and open gates should be manned at all times. Fence lines surrounding the port should be regularly controlled by security personnel, and any discrepancy should be reported and resolved immediately. Inside the port, the container storage yard is an area which is particularly vulnerable to theft and pilferage. And access to it should be limited to those personnel specifically authorized to be there. Areas within the yard should be color-coded according to the shipping line, and truckers picking up or dropping off cargo in the yard should be given color-coded passes that limit their access to the particular area they are working. Anyone in the yard who does not have a corresponding pass should be stopped and challenged immediately. The brake bulk storage sheds are also vulnerable to theft, and access to them should be strictly controlled. Badges should be worn by all those working at the facility, and passes should be issued to authorized visitors. No one without a badge or a pass should be allowed in the building. All truckers should have permission to process their paperwork at the receiving desk, but should not have any further access. Any trucker spotted inside a brake bulk warehouse should be challenged. Now these are container security seals, and anyone who has unauthorized possession of one of these has a license to steal. It's as simple as taking the seal off, opening up the container, taking what you want, and then closing the container back up with another seal. That's why these things are strictly controlled by all tenant shipping companies. Particular attention should be paid to the seal's effects to all containers within the port. During inspection, the number on the seal should match the number annotated on the container's documentation. If it doesn't, an illegal entry of the container may have been attempted for the purpose of theft or the removal of contraband. Another security concern within the port should be personnel security. The port plays host to thousands of people every day. Most are port employees, longshoremen, or contractors. Some are visitors. But in every case, the movement and location of these personnel should be controlled and monitored at all times. Entry into the port should be restricted to those personnel with valid authorization, and color-coded access passes should be issued whenever appropriate. In addition, anyone found on port grounds without valid identification should be challenged. In trying to maintain the security of the port, one thing that can't be overlooked is the integrity of your fences. They should be strong enough and high enough to keep intruders out, and a buffer zone along both sides also helps add to the deterrent. Now, the fences should be checked often, and if there are any defects, they should be repaired immediately. It's also a good idea to put some barbed wire or razor wire on top of the fences. You should also be concerned with the lighting in the port's cargo storage areas. Many times, cargo containers are stacked high on top of each other, and if the yard is not equipped with high-mast lighting, much of the area around the containers will not be illuminated at night. This makes the containers extremely vulnerable, as criminals intent on breaking into them could easily hide in the shadows. Parking areas should not be overlooked either. Ideally, employees should be given parking accommodations outside the port, but if parking areas inside are required, they should be color-coded and only authorized personnel should be allowed to park there. Hazardous cargo storage areas and tank farms pose another type of security threat to the seaport, and they should be patrolled often and closely monitored. The very nature of the material stored there make these areas prime targets for sabotage. If terrorists were somehow able to gain access to these areas, they could easily create an environmental disaster. The security threat is everywhere within the boundaries of the port. We've already discussed some of the major ones, but there are some other threats that aren't so obvious. So I asked port security expert Frank Mazzoni about some of those hidden threats. Well, the problem is many law enforcement and security officers don't really understand the inner workings of the port. They really have to use their instincts. If something doesn't look right, check it out. Use a lot of common sense. If they do, they'll make out okay in a port community. Security problems at seaports don't stop at the cargo end of the dock. Don't let this fancy ship in the vacationers on board or fool you, because passenger ship terminals have their own unique set of security problems. Aside from the potential for pilferage and theft in the parking lots in the baggage handling areas, cruise ships face an even greater menace. And although the threat of drug smuggling and terrorism can be just as frightening at the cargo end of the docks here among the throngs of happy tourists, the problem seems to take on a whole new focus. The main area of concern is centered around the passenger terminal. It's here where the passengers and baggage for both incoming and outgoing cruises are processed. Therefore, a few security procedures within the terminal can drastically reduce the threat of criminal acts. Baggage should be screened for firearms, explosives, illegal drugs, or any other types of contraband. Passengers should have all their documentation in order. Any discrepancies in their paperwork or suspicious behavior on their part should be investigated further. Visitors aren't no longer allowed on board ship before sailing, and therefore no one should be allowed past the terminal gate unless they are a ticketed passenger. In addition, hand-carried baggage should be inspected thoroughly, and all passengers should be subjected to a magnetometer inspection. The area between the terminal gate and the ship's dock should be posted and guarded. No one should be allowed into this area without a passenger ticket or proper authorization. The gentlemen right up here guide you right to your rooms. On board ship, all crew members should be wearing proper identification as well. A simple checkout board with different colored IDs will indicate whether a crew member is on board or ashore, and will reduce the possibility of storeways, smuggling, and terrorist activity. The movement of all delivery trucks around the ship should be closely monitored at all times, and all arriving ship stores should be thoroughly inspected by security officials. This will reduce the threat of any contraband being brought on board in this manner. Now, in addition to these security precautions, there are some other measures that should be addressed by not only the cruise lines, but the cargo lines and the entire port community. Frank Mazzoni pointed out some of them to me from on board the ship. Well, I look at this port from a different perspective. For example, it's quite vulnerable. Just over here we have a tank farm. That tank farm contains volatile chemicals and fuel. Certainly a terrorist could introduce some explosive device over there, set that whole area off, and wreck havoc with this entire port area. See a fuel tanker driving up? Well, if the terrorists were to say that that fuel tank farm is too far away, he'll attach an explosive device to that tanker. And of course, they'll back right up next to this ship. They'll set it off. There goes the tanker, the ship, the port area. It's all gone. And there's a lot of trucks and vehicles running around by the side of the ship over here. Well, they're checked. But, you know, any one of them could be a car bomb. A terrorist could certainly load any one of those vehicles up with explosives, ram it through one of those fences right into the side of this ship or into these tanks we see down here, which have volatile fuel and volatile gas in them and set this whole area off. One side on the other side, you've got all this water. Is that a security threat in and of itself? Well, certainly. Swimmers can go underneath this ship and attach explosive devices and recover drugs that might be attached. They can certainly attach explosive devices that could scuttle one of these ships in this narrow channel out here and virtually close this port area down. In other words, singing this ship could close down the port? Well, not only close this area over here where we see the naval vessels, surface vessels, but over here we have a Trident submarine. And if this vessel or one like it were sunk in a channel just off to our left here, it locks that in. That Trident submarine couldn't get out. I mean, how do you keep track of all of this? Well, this port has a port security plan. So therefore, it's up to the port security officer and the ship security officer to get together, coordinate their plans, reduce the vulnerable points, and of course with that, reduce the risk that this port faces as a result of terrorist activity. Pilferage theft and the threat of terrorism and smuggling are ways of life in every port in our nation, but there's no magic cure for that predicament. As law enforcement and security officers, you must strive to reduce the crime and minimize the threat. And if you're vigilant and observant, you will succeed in that endeavor and help maintain the level of security that our seaports so desperately need. And by doing that, you'll make them a safer place for everyone.