by Ken Quintanilla

Guam - A memorandum of understanding was signed this morning between the Port Authority of Guam and the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency as a major step in beefing up the security at our island's only seaport. The document was signed to utilize a mobile container vehicle screening system.

From invasive species to other illegal materials found in cargo, Port general manager Joanne Brown discussed the benefits of the system, saying, "This equipment will allow us certainly to expand beyond our current ability to go in physically inspect the cargo. There are biohazards and other things we have not had the capability in the past to detect." and Guam homeland security advisor Pedro Leon Guerrero added, "The other thing is it allows us seaborne detection, biological, chemical, radiological, nuclear and explosive detection, that's a major point."

The machine will bring the Guam port up to par with other seaports nationwide. The equipment is set to arrive in January next year.