Purpose This section includes Strategic Strategy Objectives. The core of this section is to develop, implement, and update a method to augment international cargo supply chain security. The strategy included reflects already established work from various agencies involved in the supply chain security and as describes how upcoming actions will be mandated and integrated by SAFE Port Act to achieve this goal. From here the section transitions into major improvements for international cargo supply chain security beginning with September 11, 2001. The kinds of improvements made have been: “the Maritime Transportation Security Act, the development of the National Strategy for Maritime Security and its eight supporting plans, and multiple individual agency initiatives” (DHS, p. 6).

The focus of the ‘Purpose’ section is to not replace more detailed plans that already exist. Rather, it is to seek to outline tactical and strategic plans connect with the multiple programs and initiatives already in process. Such a strategy describes security efforts beginning in cargo origination, drayage to foreign ports, conveyance or loading on vessels in foreign ports, arrival at or movement to domestic ports of entry, and so forth. Moreover, the strategy details trade resumption efforts, providing a more general decision tree to enable rapid prioritization of vessels and cargos in case there is supply chain disruption.

The section includes a definition of the problem, a description of the international cargo supply chain like: storage waiting for processing, movement to deconsolidation point, storage awaiting transport and so forth. The next part of this section covers securing the supply chain with focus on ensuring integrity of millions of maritime cargos contains that enter the U.S. each year. There is risk assessment, goals, and strategic objectives. Part III involves Scope which is a reiteration of the previous part and Part IV is Guiding Principles. These will be covered in the next two sections.

Scope

The Scope section addresses security of cargo moving via the international supply chain to and from the United States. “The approach is based on the principal the supply chain security is best accomplished as an end-to-end process with specific checks and verifications at critical nodes. The focus of this strategy are shipments” (DHS, p. 16). The focus of the shipments strategy is to recognize foreign sovereignty like foreign nations’ requirements...

Such a strategy utilizes risk-based methods for promotion of collaboration and cooperation with foreign trading partners for the securing of vessels and cargo with a United States destination. This helps secure domestic ports and is aimed to mitigate any threats to these ports.
The next part of this section deals with Boundaries and Constraints that deals with the movement of cargo in said international supply chain. What this strategy does not do is address recreational vessels, commercial activity in domestic ports, or passenger movement. Additionally, the strategy does not offer additional prioritization coordination measures. Relationship to Others Plans and Strategies represents the next part of the ‘Scope’ section and points out specific legislation that has led to creation and implementation of strategic and tactical plans. Some of these plans are: Maritime Infrastructure Recovery Plan, Maritime Transportation Security Plan, and Area Maritime Security Plans.

Additional strategies listed involve Presidential directives and others like the HSPD-3, HSPD-5, HSPD-7, HSPD-8, HSPD-13 and what these entail is the security and coordination strategy for international organizational support and enhanced maritime security. Overall, these plans seem extremely repetitive and just keep mentioning already established objectives like enhanced maritime security and protection of international supply chain.

Guiding Principles

The Guiding Principles section helps break down what the Purpose is and underlying details of the objectives. “In its simplest form, international supply chain security requires that the cargo is secure from the point of origin, and that it remains secure during transit until the point of deconsolidation and domestic distribution” (DHS, p. 27). To set about accomplishing this goal they described 4 parts of what make the base for the guiding principles. These are: accurate information sharing, secure cargo and transit, and compatible regulations and international standards. This seems to be the underlying need as described in the last two sections, however, in this section, it is explicitly stated and done so in a simple, easy to understand format.

What is a significant part and what was lacking in the previous sections was the introduction of the role of technology. To explain that security technology is an ongoing innovation is important because it implies that there needs to be…