New funding for US port security

The Port of Los Angeles will receive US$6.56m, and was the fifth largest recipient behind Tacoma, the Lower Mississippi, New Jersey and Chicago. The USA’s busiest container port will use the money to enhance its waterside surveillance systems, integrate its command and control centre systems and introduce new communications system infrastructure. Los Angeles has received a total of US$37.76m in the seven rounds of grant funding to date.

The Port of Long Beach received US$4.6m for two major projects to improve undersea surveillance and to integrate its security systems. This was part of a total of US$15m awarded to agencies and businesses in the Long Beach/Los Angeles port complex; the funds will be used to develop a coordinated strategy, with complementary projects at neighbouring ports.

New underwater sonar equipment, additional cameras and enhanced radar will better enable Long Beach to monitor the movement of vessels through its waterways. An integrated communications system for a new joint command and control centre, currently under construction, will dramatically enhance communication and coordination on a regional basis. This initiative will tie together security and camera systems from more than 31 entities, including the Port, tenants and law enforcement agencies.