Taiwan, US celebrate 10th anniversary of Megaports program

2016/12/16

The Customs Administration under the Ministry of Finance and the American Institute in Taiwan celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Taiwan Megaports program, a collaborative initiative to enhance local detection capabilities for nuclear and radioactive materials, Dec. 13 at the Port of Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan.

Hosted by Customs Administration Director-General Liao Chao-hsiang and AIT Deputy Director Robert Forden, the event highlighted the success of the project in strengthening the port’s ability to detect, investigate and deter the transportation of illicit nuclear and radiological materials in shipping containers.

According to AIT, which represents U.S. interests in Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic ties, the Port of Kaohsiung has prevented numerous radiological hazards from entering the nation as well as turned away hundreds of radiation-contaminated containers due to the detection equipment installed under the program.

Established by the U.S. government under the auspices of the Department of Energy in 2003, the Megaports Initiative aims to deter the trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials at many of the world’s largest ports. Taiwan joined the program in 2006 following the inking of a series of memorandums of understanding between AIT, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S., and the U.S. DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration.

The U.S. DOE has invested nearly US$55 million in the Taiwan Megaports project, providing funding for personnel training, technical support and monitoring equipment in the southern port including portable radiation monitors, handheld radiation detection devices, wireless communications equipment and a central alarm monitoring station, AIT stated.

In September 2013, the Customs Administration took ownership of the Taiwan Megaports program, assuming responsibility for checking inbound and international containers, including those bound for the U.S., for nuclear and radiological threats.

A key transshipment hub in the Asia-Pacific region, the Port of Kaohsiung was included in the U.S. Megaports Initiative owing to its strategic location and high cargo volumes. To date, 42 ports around the world spanning Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East have participated in the program.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=250357&ctNode=2194&mp=9)