Scanners designed to detect nuclear or radiological weapons materials were recently installed at the Port of Kingston by the United States Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).

The installation, done earlier this year, was carried out under the US government's Megaports Initiative. Yesterday, the NNSA announced the successful start of the operations of the radiation detection equipment.

A press release on the NNSA's website said: "Specialised equipment installed by NNSA, in cooperation with the US Embassy in Kingston, Jamaica Customs, the Port Authority of Jamaica and the private terminal operator, will scan all import and export containers passing through the port's Kingston Wharves Limited (KWL) Terminal for the presence of dangerous nuclear and other radioactive materials."

22 detectors worldwide

The release also noted that Megaports Initiative has already fielded radiation detectors at 22 ports around the world, with efforts ongoing at another 20 sites.

Danville Walker, commissioner of customs, told The Gleaner that the US Congress passed a regulation that is seeking to achieve "100 per cent scanning of containers entering the United States".

He explained that the installation of the scanners was part of that risk management strategy being employed by the US.

"Jamaica, being a significant trans-shipment port, it was chosen as one of the ports from which containers entering into the United States, that once scanned here, it would not have to be scanned again in the US," Walker said.

The project is wholly funded by the US. Jamaica only provides the personnel to operate the scanners. Walker told The Gleaner that customs officers, of a particular grade, were trained in the US to operate the scanners.