ADVISORY/Sen. Murray, TSA, Port Directors, SAVI, Announce First-in-the-Nation International Port-Cargo Security System.

Business/Technology Editors

ADVISORY... for Thur. (July 11)

End-to-end container security and tracking measure will be model

for improving cargo security and efficiency throughout the U.S.

Today, Thursday at 11:30 a.m. ET, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) will join with TSA officials, and port officials to announce a new initiative called Smart and Secure Tradelanes that will improve cargo security and expedite cargo efficiency.

The Ports of Seattle and Tacoma will be the first ports in the nation to enter into a new initiative with the Ports of Singapore and Hong Kong. The system will deploy proven, real-time technologies to catalogue, inspect and detect U.S.-bound cargo from foreign ports and enable U.S. authorities to track the shipments through their entry into the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma and on to the final destination. This is the first of a multi-phased initiative extending to other major ports around the world.

The initiative represents the first time that an end-to-end security procedure for commercial cargo has been implemented in this country, and represents the first concrete measure taken by any U.S. port to improve port security.

     WHAT: News conference on new Cargo Security initiative

     WHO: Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.)
          Gen. John Corburn (ret.), Chairman of the Strategic
             Council on Security Technology
          Rear Admiral Richard Bennis, Associate Under Secretary of
             Transportation for Maritime and Land Security at TSA
          Ambassador Chan Heng Chee, Port of Singapore
          Gary Gilbert, Hutchison Whampoa Ltd.
          Mark Cummings, P&O Ports, North America
          Mic Dinsmore, Chief Executive Officer, Port of Seattle
          Rear Admiral Paul J. Pluta, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters

     WHEN:    11:30 a.m.-Noon ET
              THURSDAY, July 11

     WHERE:   SC-6 (U.S. Capitol)


     DIAL-IN:  United States: [phone]
               International: [phone]
               Confirmation No.  644975

     FOLLOWUP Q&A CALL-IN:  1:30-2:30 p.m. ET
                            United States: [phone]
                            International: [phone]
                            Confirmation No. 644981

Representatives of companies operating over 70 percent of the world's sea ports, Hutchison Whampoa, PSA and P&O, and the providers of real-time tracking, scanning and process solutions, SAIC, Savi Technology, Qualcomm, Travis Sandler Advisory Services and Parsons Brinckerhoff, will be on hand to answer questions at the conference.