Multi-Agency Operation Focuses on Containers in Port of Baltimore

The Coast Guard, along with other federal, state and local agencies, will conduct a joint operation today at the Maryland Port Administration's Seagirt and Dundalk Marine Terminals to promote awareness and verify compliance with federal and state shipping regulations. Inspections on containerized cargo ships are conducted daily by individual agencies, but this multi-agency strike force operation is one in a series of similar initiatives conducted in ports nationwide since September 1998. This joint operation is coordinated between agencies that have jurisdiction so that shipments can be simultaneously inspected for compliance with all applicable requirements.

The operation will involve the inspection of trucks, cargo containers and cargo tanks as they enter and leave the marine terminals. Inspections will include verifying proper documentation, markings, packaging and structural integrity. Agencies taking part in the operation include the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration, Maryland Transportation Authority Police, Maryland Port Administration, Maryland State police, Baltimore City Fire Department and the Maryland Comptrollers.