ABSTRACT
This chapter begins by tracing the history of container trade. It stresses the vulnerability of container trade to terrorism and highlights the technological solutions required for the safety and security of containers. The chapter examines the competing requirements of maritime trade and security. It discusses South Asian initiatives with regard to the Container Security Initiative. A trucker by profession, Malcolm MacLean can be credited for being a pioneer in introducing container transportation. During the last decade, the international community has been discussing the impact of globalisation on international relations, economy and trade. The economic interaction, partly driven by technology and the cornucopia of ideas, is perhaps shaping today's global economy. A report from the International Chamber of Commerce has noted that a crime gang was able to steal cargo from containers in a major West European port. Non-intrusive technologies were developed during the 1990s to inspect cargoes both at seaports and land border crossings.
