VZCZCXRO5412
RR RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHGP #2120 1810159
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 300159Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY SINGAPORE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0456
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2230
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0537
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 5404
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6031
RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 0010
RUEAHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER WASHINGTON DC
RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SINGAPORE 002120 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR DOE/NNSA KASTOR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG EWWT TRGY KSCA KNNP PARM PTER SN
SUBJECT: FIRST MEGAPORTS PILOT PROJECT REVIEW CONCLUDED 
 
REF: SINGAPORE 1153 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: The Department of Energy (DOE) and 
Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) 
recently concluded a first review of the Megaports pilot 
project (reftel), with a tentative agreement to expand the 
program in Singapore to include more transshipped cargo.  ICA 
officials told the DOE team that they would deliver a 
proposal outlining suggested next steps for the project in 
early July, when the DOE team plans to return for a second 
review.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) In discussing how to expand the scope of the 
project, in particular whether to cover more transshipped 
cargo, the DOE team rejected ICA's initial suggestion to 
leave it unchanged; DOE argued that the amount of cargo 
captured would otherwise be statistically and operationally 
too limited to make the Megaports program effective in the 
longer term.  As now structured, Megaports scans only exports 
of Singapore origin and what is estimated to be no more than 
one percent of transshipped cargo.  (Note: Singapore is the 
world's busiest transshipment port and has been hesitant to 
agree to any expansion of the project that could interfere, 
in its view, with port efficiency.  End note.)  Both sides 
agreed "in principle" to increase the amount of 
transshipments scanned, although an exact percentage was not 
discussed.  Pending DOE concurrence with ICA's proposal, 
expansion of the project will tentatively commence in April 
2007, taking into account time for ICA to make necessary 
changes to its port logistics computer system. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Based on its initial assessment, the DOE team 
concluded that ICA is taking the Megaports project seriously 
and appears to have adjusted certain of its expectations 
since the pilot's inception.  For example, ICA originally 
insisted on keeping scanning related delays below 15 seconds 
per container.  Current delays are longer on average, but ICA 
officials have expressed few concerns with this outcome and 
are pleased with the progress they have made to reduce the 
delays.  According to the DOE team, ICA officials are also 
beginning to recognize the benefits that would be derived 
from comprehensive scanning of all containers for 
radiological materials.  They remain concerned, however, 
about the manpower required for implementation on this scale. 
CHARBONNET