Container Security Advanced Information Networking
Overview
Around 70% of all cargo in Europe is transported in intermodal shipping containers. Ensuring the security of these containers is critical due to risks such as terrorism, illegal immigration, theft, and smuggling. This is vital for enhancing cross-border security and improving supply chain efficiency. Key initiatives include the EU Containers Surveillance Framework, integrated sensor and communication systems, and container traffic flow and risk management tools.
The CONTAIN project designed and demonstrated a European Shipping Containers Surveillance system aimed at strengthening container security and supporting integrated transport safety. It provided regulatory and policy recommendations, proposed new business models, and introduced advanced monitoring technologies. The project helped stakeholders manage container-related threats, offered real-time tracking through container-integrated sensors and communication systems, and supported ports in enhancing their security procedures and linking with national and EU databases. CONTAIN developed reliable container traffic maps for improved situation awareness and integration into a broader EU surveillance framework. It also supported policymakers in benchmarking performance and shaping improved security policies. Furthermore, CONTAIN contributed to standardisation efforts, built upon results from related FP7 projects, and supported coordination between security agencies and EU platforms. Live demonstrations were carried out across secure multimodal corridors in Bologna, Rotterdam/Amsterdam, and Valencia.
Objectives
Support transport security stakeholders (both business and administrations) in managing container security threats within logistic chains as part of an integrated approach to the efficient management of door to door (D2D) transportation networks.
Provide a coherent set of “best of breed,” cost effective and efficient technology options for container-integrated sensor, communication and security hardware and software technologies to monitor container movements and security and business related parameters in real time, whilst addressing the technology, implication of and links to screening and detection technologies.
Enable ports and transport networks to establish cost effective upgraded container security processes (including technologies and integration of ICT applications with customs agents and national security forces) and to optimise operational processes both in terms of security performance and efficiency and quality of container transport services.
Provide added value to key investments made by EU customs organisations to achieve higher levels of protection of markets and society and to offer favourable conditions for business development focusing on improved real time risk evaluation and control.
Provide appropriate information gathering, validation, fusion and situational awareness services to establish dependable near real time “corridor container traffic maps” and their integration into an EU container traffic map for use by organisations and systems established to promote and implement an integrated EU surveillance policy.
Enable the establishment of secure trade lanes between the EU and selected trading partners.
Assist policy makers at national and EU level to promote container security based on sound economic and technological argumentation and to benchmark container security performance to formulate improvement policies.
Facilitate the further development of European standards to address and improve container security specifically and supply chain security in general, and progress towards a single international shipping containers security standard.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 261679.
