Shipping container security

[#1]

As most of you will know a shipping container arrived at Tilbury Docks with a number of illegal immigrants on board, I have posted no links as this has been in newspapers and on TV.
This is a very tragic situation for these people but there is also the major concern regarding security, imagine what could be packed in a container of that size and the damage plus loss of life that could occur.
Please do not turn this post into a rant about immigrants. This post is about shipping container security only.
Thanks.

[#2]

They think it's a case of people trafficking.
I imagine very few containers are actually checked (some cargo ships can hold thousands of containers), unless border control/immigration have a tip-off or some kind of intelligence.

[#3]

I think that they are secure to keep people out, however due to the very nature of recent events, there should be a way for anyone like a Security guard / dock personnel, accidentally trapped inside (due to a lack of communication skills or harmless prank) could be able to escape, easily

[#4]

Is it possible for anyone to be accidentally locked inside?
Containers are weatherproof/waterproof so they cannot be unlock using the existing locking mechanism from the inside as this will breach the seals. The only way is to fit an escape hatch which is only locked/unlocked from the inside.

[#5]

My knowledge of these matters is probably way out of date now but it used to be that containers would have their doors 'sealed' by an appropriate body before despatch to the port. As long as those seals were intact then no further action would be taken!
Obviously this container has probably had false seals or it has been 'nodded' through by those on the take!

[#6]

Would the person putting on the seals not be responsible for checking what was inside first .?
I know someone could have replaced the seal but security at most container ports is good with CCTV all over the place.

[#7]

Quote from: NedLudd

My knowledge of these matters is probably way out of date now but it used to be that containers would have their doors 'sealed' by an appropriate body before despatch to the port. As long as those seals were intact then no further action would be taken! Obviously this container has probably had false seals or it has been 'nodded' through by those on the take!

I guess the 2 bombs dropped on Japan would have fitted inside that container...... Need I say any more !

[#8]

Quote from: gleneagles

Would the person putting on the seals not be responsible for checking what was inside first .? I know someone could have replaced the seal but security at most container ports is good with CCTV all over the place.

As I said 'an appropriate body'. When 'riding shotgun' with a friend from Spain to the UK, before Spain was in the EU, the load was inspected and sealed at a transit depot just before the French border. T.I.R. regs were in place and the French did not touch the load or break the seals. UK customs broke the seals upon entry to the UK.
I image a similar system still exists today for goods entering the EU at Italy say, with goods destined for the UK!

[#9]

So am I correct in thinking that a sealed container could go through a number of ports with the initial seal and no further checks being done.
It has always puzzled me that cars are often stolen to order in this country and then shipped abroad in containers, how can that be the case if security is supposed to be that good ?

[#10]

you get gustoms seals in batches of 100 (metal cable tie type things) they are all serialised, each serial number will be allocated to a shipping container and a manifest produced by the consignor a copy is then sent to the consignee & customs, another copy is kept by the consignor and 3 copies go with the container, if your load gets checked by a port authority or customs officer a new seal is attached and the amended documents are then copied to the consignor and the consignee and customs, all copies of the manifest are to be signed by 2 people (the packer and the dispatcher) also by any transport persons, and the original signatures copies are sent with the box,
its not normal for customs to check inside containers other than passing them by some scanners given the sheer number of them moving through a port at any given time (thousands every day) although they do randomly select some for inspection, all that is required to prevent this sort of thing in the future is heat scanners to be used as well as nuclear/biological/chemical/explosive scanners but its expensive and still wont necessarily detect everything ....

[#11]

They already scan (using gamma rays) suspect containers. With enough finance they would be able to scan all containers.
The meter thought of being scanned with gamma rays would be enough to put me off from hiding in a container.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_scanning

[#12]

This is a very tragic situation but obviously well organised. Had it not been for the oxygen problem the container would have been delivered to its destination and the illegals let out. The authorities will know the final destination of the container and be making enquiries there. I wonder how many other times this method of illegal entry has been tried.
What will happen to the illegal entrants now? Will they be returned to Belgium, sent back to India or allowed to stay in the UK?

[#13]

they should be deported to country of origin in line with current laws, but no doubt some do-gooder groups will have them rehomed here in the uk ....

[#14]

The Gov't should announce that in the interests of bio-safety that all shipping containers will be fumigated on arrival at the UK port to destroy any unwanted pests.

[#15]

@nanotm,You're assuming of course they have passports or other I.D. to allow them to be transferred there. If they have been brought over by an organised gang they possibly handed over their documents. The place to return them is Belgium.