Secretary Napolitano’s Visit to U.K.
Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today visited London to meet with her counterparts and underscore the importance of strengthening collaboration between the United States and United Kingdom to ensure the security, efficiency, and resiliency of the global supply chain, which is integral to the safety and prosperity of both nations.
“In order to secure the global supply chain, we must continue to work with our international partners to protect our ports and borders while facilitating legitimate trade and travel,” said Secretary Napolitano. “The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is committed to continuing to work closely with our British counterparts to enhance the security of both of our nations.”
In London, Secretary Napolitano met with Home Secretary Theresa May and Secretary of State for Transport Philip Hammond to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to enhancing the security of international trade routes—reiterating the shared responsibility of both countries to lead a global effort to raise international screening standards and expand risk-based targeting practices to focus resources on the most dangerous shipments.
Secretary Napolitano also underscored the importance of advance electronic information and automated systems to assess the risk of cargo entering U.S. ports; technology to inspect and scan high-risk cargo; and partnerships with the trade industry and our international partners to ensure the security of global supply chain beyond U.S. borders.
While in London, Secretary Napolitano also met with International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary General Efthimios Mitropoulos to discuss U.S.-supported efforts underway at the IMO to make international maritime standards more consistent and to enable ports to recover quickly from disasters and disruptions. At U.S. and international ports, DHS is taking concrete steps to enhance the security of international shipping through a risk- and technology-based approach that strengthens cargo screening at every point in the global supply chain. As part of this effort, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) utilizes the Container Security Initiative (CSI) at more than 50 overseas ports to prescreen and evaluate high-risk containers before they are shipped to the United States.
