SAIC to secure US ports

Science Applications International Corporation has been awarded a contract from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection, to install three VACIS P7500 container inspection systems. The systems are being put in place in support of the Secure Freight Initiative international pilot program.

According to SAIC, the VACIS P7500 inspection system is a compact, high-energy X-ray- based portal container inspection system designed to image dense cargo in high-volume throughput operations.

SAIC's patented drive-through technology scans only the cargo, allowing drivers to drive through the access control area during scanning operations. The VACIS P7500 imaging system can scan up to 150 containers per hour in free-flow operation, depending on operator training and other conditions.

'Our ability to provide screening in support of the 100 percent goal for freight bound for the US is key to enhancing national security without compromising supply chain efficiencies,' said Alex Preston, SAIC senior vice president and general manager of the Security and Transportation Technology Business Unit. 'This contract marks a transition to higher penetration and the need for greater systems and data integration.'

For this contract, the VACIS P7500 systems will be deployed as part of SAIC's focused technology support at international seaports. That support includes an open-interface, networked solution integrating the VACIS P7500 imaging system within an overall container processing environment that can include remote viewing for image analysis, alerts or centralised alarms, as well as vehicle and container identification, radiation portal monitor data, and information from the terminal management system. This open-interface architecture allows for collection and fusion of data from independent vendor sources.