Dive Brief:
- A potential "dirty bomb" threat forced Port of Charleston employees to evacuate the premises Wednesday night, CNN reported. A “dirty bomb” is a mix of nuclear and conventional bomb material. Security operations were in place from 8 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.
- In response to the threat, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) set up a safety zone around the Wando Welch Terminal, and scanned four containers aboard the Maersk Memphis. The USCG said there was "no active threat" early Thursday morning.
- The source of the threat was a YouTube conspiracy theorist, reported the Charlotte Observer. According to the USCG media advisory, “the original reporting source of the threat in port of Charleston has been detained by authorities for further questioning.”
Dive Insight:
Although the USCG determined there was no active threat aboard the Maersk Memphis, the incident still provokes challenges for port security going forward.
Threats like these may prompt ports to increase security or develop new methods for inspecting inbound shipments. Identifying threats quickly and alerting authorities immediately requires smooth communication between container vessels and ports, but port security must also remember to keep supply chain managers and logistics providers in the loop.
If a port is shut down, supply chain managers need to know as soon as possible so they can handle potential supply chain disruptions quickly and effectively. If ports increase security, supply chains may slow. If port security doesn't alert carriers quickly about potential threats, the supply chain may screech to a halt until the threat is resolved.
Communication is key: as long as port security is in touch with carriers, distributors, and supply chain managers, threats like the one at the Port of Charleston should cause only minor disruptions in the supply chain.