PTP’s CEO Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman said: ‘PTP is honoured to participate in a programme designed to ensure high security for international trade. Our participation will also enable PTP to be utilised as a hub for goods from other ports that do not have similar facilities.’

 

Mohd Sidik added that he has encouraged his government to ‘fast track’ participation in the CSI.

 

The news follows reports that Singapore had the potential to become an Asian ‘screening hub’ through its participation in the CSI.

 

C-TPAT and CSI are both intended to improve the security of the global supply chain. CSI focuses on screening cargo at ports outside the US, while C-TPAT aims to involve businesses in cargo security.

 

PTP said that it is in discussions with US Customs and the US embassy in Malaysia on security procedures, physical security, personal security, education, training and access controls.

 

But other Malaysian industry figures were frank about unresolved concerns. Northport senior manager (ancillary services) Dahari Ujud said after a meeting at the US embassy: ‘Basically, the terminal operators wanted to know the CSI's impact on day-to-day port operations and how the US wants to go about implementing it.’

 

‘We want their assurance that the checks will not disrupt and delay our terminal activity, either on land or on the vessels,’ he added.

 

‘Besides that, we need to know other particulars such as what kind of scanning equipment they want, the manpower required and so on to enable us to be prepared to meet the conditions.’