Shipping now a key means of moving illegal weapons

Report shows that container shipping is used to transport weapons.

Container shipping is regularly used to channel weapons by Iran and other countries embargoed by the United Nations, as well as ’non-state actors‘, according to a report just published by the Swedish research institute the ‚Stockholm International Peace Research Institute‘ (SIPRI).

The study was based on substantial data collected by SIPRI which is supported by the Swedish Government. The report found that states such Iran and North Korea have learnt from the methods used by drug smugglers to move large quantities of illegal cargo at low cost and with a fairly low chance of being caught. The report states that, "Arms proliferation networks are increasingly adopting techniques pioneered by drug trafficking organizations that integrate their logistics operations within the global supply chain through the use of sealed shipping containers, which are carried aboard vessels that are owned by mainstream shipping companies and engaged in licit trade". This method of moving weapons around the world is also being used by a variety of terrorist organisations.

Admittedly, the report found that the largest single means of movement of such cargoes was the use of older vessels under ‚flags of convenience.‘ However, it appears that ships owned by German, Greek and US companies were also prominent in carrying illegal loads; companies that included some of the world’s largest container lines.  One of the report’s authors, Hugh Griffiths, commented that the problem was that whilst containerization has revolutionized international trade, it also provides ideal cover for traffickers. "So many shipping containers pass through the world’s ports every day that only a fraction can be inspected. Ship owners and even customs officers often just have to take it on trust that what’s inside the container is what it says on the cargo documents," he said.

SIPRI identifies ports as being the key "choke points" where containers can be monitored for illegal cargoes. However this suggestion appears similar to those made by the US Government in its attempts to screen for radioactive materials which might be used by terrorists. As SIPRI itself tacitly admits, proposals to screen containers for illegal cargoes simply do not take into account the sheer scale and speed of container movements at major ports. What might possibly offer a more viable way forward is to utilise supply chain visibility systems in order to improve the flow of information on the nature of cargoes.

Quelle: eyefortransport
Portal: www.logistik-express.com