Borderlands: Odyssey Logistics expands into Laredo
CBP aims to beef up border security technology
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently selected three companies to compete for a $480 million contract to supply drive-through imaging systems to scan tractor-trailers for contraband and potential threat items at border ports of entry.
The three finalists — Leidos, Rapiscan Systems and Smiths Detection — will initially provide one Multi-Energy Portal (MEP) scanning system to CBP.
The MEP systems are part of CBP’s plans to increase the amount of cargo being scanned that enters the U.S. at land ports of entry. CBP currently scans about 15% of commercial vehicles and 1% of passenger vehicles.
Over the next few years, CBP aims to increase the number of commercial vehicles scanned to more than 70%.
Leidos is providing the company’s VACIS IP6500 MEP, which is integrated with Viken Detection’s Oprey-EVX, a low-energy backscatter imaging technology. Viken’s Osprey-UVX under-vehicle X-ray imaging system will also be available.
“We’ve taken the approach of providing under-vehicle solutions and portal solutions for multiple partners in these programs,” Viken CEO Jim Ryan told FreightWaves. “We’ve got a pretty unique solution with the under-vehicle solution piece of it.”
In 2020, Viken Detection installed four undercarriage Osprey-UVX devices at two South Texas land ports of entry as part of a contract with CBP. Ryan said he could not disclose which ports were part of the contract, but said the pandemic slowed down installations.
The aim of the Viken’s technology is to speed up vehicle inspections with more accurate devices, Ryan said.