Peter Frost authored a story in the Newport News Daily Press yesterday dealing with the updated radiation scanners at the Virginia Port Authority’s three container terminals.

“The detectors,” Peter writes, “positioned near exit lanes at each terminal, scan all imported cargo containers shipped out of the ports for radiation. Elevated levels of radiation could indicate the presence of a nuclear bomb …”

“The update was required by a congressional mandate. The busiest U.S. ports must scan all incoming cargo for radiation by the end of the year. Scanning all containers greatly reduces the chance a terrorist could hide dangerous materials inside a normal-looking container, port officials said …”

“Trucks are required to drive through the scanners before they leave the property. If radiation is detected, trucks are diverted from the lanes for additional inspection — not an uncommon occurrence at the third busiest port in the U.S. …”

“Sensors are triggered about 1,000 times a year, but since the first equipment was installed in 2002, no major incidents have occurred …”

“Mostly, the alarms are set off by truck drivers undergoing medical treatments, or from cargo like marble, granite and smoke detectors that carry a radioactive signature …”

“The radiation sensors are just one piece of an increasingly complex puzzle of security measures implemented at the nation’s ports and border crossings …”

Peter ended his commentary with this statement: “Within the next three months, the ports of Hampton Roads also will implement new federal identification cards for all transportation workers.”

We ended our Vol. VII, Art. 15 commentary with this statement: “Think about this simple concept for a moment: If a nuke never gets into our ports, then it can’t explode there. If a nuke does come into our port, it is already much too late.”

So all this costly “upgrading” which has achieved nothing except the triggering of thousands of false alarms … Is this a deterrent?

We’ve designed and patented, in every country having shipbuilding capability, a method of retrieving any single container from aboard ship without offloading or even handling any other container. Radiation Detection Monitor units aboard our patented container ships would scan every container while underway and well before these vessels arrive in port. The entire procedure would take less than a week, and suspect cargo would be deep-sixed without a moment’s hesitation. Is this a deterrent? Would you consider being a stowaway under those circumstances?