Original article from Tribune Freeport, by Denise Maycock, August 12, 2015
A NEW type of cargo scanner to detect radiological and nuclear material in containers was assessed at the Freeport Container Port this week by US Department of Homeland Security, through the co-operation of Bahamian law enforcement agencies and the Ministry for Grand Bahama.
Minister for Grand Bahama Dr. Michael Darville said the scanner is a unique piece of equipment and the Bahamas was the first to demonstrate the new technology to the world.
Kevin Cronk, programme manager of the Nuclear Detention Office of Department of US Homeland Security, paid a courtesy call on Dr. Darville on Monday to express appreciation for the cooperation.
Last fall and in the spring of this year, the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office characterized the new Multi-Mode Passive Detection System (MMPDS) by Decision Sciences International Corporation (DSIC) at the container port. Mr. Cronk said that the team of scientists and specialists from the US worked very closely with the team from the Bahamas to accomplish this characterization.
“Thanks to our cooperation with the ministry, we were able to complete this first of its kind evaluation in an operational environment. We recognised Deborah Bootle and Sherrick Martin of Bahamas Customs, and Hubert Ferguson of the Department of Immigration for their invaluable support in facilitating this activity. Our team was able to draw on the talents of the local workforce to aid in the logistical staging and moving of cargo containers through the scanner for evaluation,” he said.
Minister Darville said that countries from as far as Japan came to Grand Bahama to see the equipment at work at the container port. “It has gained a lot of respect throughout the world, and last year we thought it was important to have Decision Science International Corporation and a lot of international clientele come here to see it in operation. We are also pleased that the Department of Homeland Security played an active role to coming GB to assess the commercial viability of this equipment,” he said.
Decision Sciences International Corporation (DSIC) is a US based advanced technology provider of security and detection systems. In April, it completed the final phase of the five phase system characterization of its Multi-Mode Passive Detection System (MMPDS) at the Freeport Container Port (FCP).
The system testing was conducted by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) under a contract awarded to DSIC to assess system readiness and effectiveness for the passive detection of unshielded to heavily shielded radiological and nuclear materials.
