A Florida-based startup dubbed SeaAway (no relation to
Segway, truth be told) is looking to make our ports a good bit
safer in the future by implementing an offshore screening process that could detect "chemical, biological, and nuclear traces as ships travel through." The aptly-dubbed Sea Sentinels would be anchored to the seafloor some 14-miles from a port, and will even house up to 15 humans and an array of unmanned aerial vehicles for extreme situations. The platforms would utilize
RFID readers to detect what types of cargo passed through its screen, and if sensors flag a suspicious
container, the Coast Guard is called into action. Unfortunately, the $100 million it costs to erect
each system would have to be subsidized by a passage fee of $20 per container, but tax breaks for shippers are currently be pondered. Nevertheless, a prototype system will see construction later this summer, and if all goes well, finalized versions could be
patrolling our seas in the not too distant future.
posted Jul 5th 2007 12:18AM
That picture looks like a Lego advertisement.
As the designer of the Sea Sentinel System, I'd like to know just what any of the commenting people have done for our country lately. We spent our money doing this and do not want government tax dollars to accomplish this mission. Before running ones mouth one should stand up and be counted or at the very least be in attendance.
First thing I thought was "they need to park these outside sealand to stop the pirates" but i don't want to be accused of starting a set-piece CGI battle (Zacharias, http://bsgeek.com)
this was in popular science quite a while ago.
You people are freaking out alot about your security, it just a waste of money, if you devote this money to devolpe third world countries instead of war and missiles, you will be better off.
I'm sorry but I would rather have my taxes go into something that will make my life safer then to help a 3rd world country. But I'm not saying that we don't have to help a 3rd world country, but I prefer that the money be used to make my life saver from outside threats before its used to help a 3rd world country.
I think that is what he was getting at. If you raise the standard of living in parts of the world outside of the states then less people will feel the need to do destructive acts. This would make you safer in the long run and make the world a bit better. You can make more bombs or you can make better educated, less desperate people.
This is a good theory bu t what are we going to do for the next 50 or more years? This would take time to implement and then even more time to get those who hate us to change their minds about us. But very god idea.
ummmm...yeeeaaaaaah.
I'm going to hear security advice from a guy called mohamed. I dont think so.
Money spent on security is well worth it.
Would you need one of these at every port? ans if so, how many port that recieve international products does the US have?
And BTW, my tax dollars are to be used in MY country not some random 3rd world hell hole.
Every technlogy has a weakness, otherwise, Microsoft would be able to stop piracy, human-being create technology and they are smarter than the technology.
I don't why Americans feel scared, I live in USA, and if somebody hit USA with nuclar bomb, it wouldn't make differnce between me and you, we will be both in the same boat, yet I feel secure.
Thank for mentioning my name this way, by the way I'm really proud of my name.
!
Metal Gear!
Not even close. Good thing you actually remember what the premise of the game was about.
I'm surprised engadget doesnt have a subscription to popsci. I mean this is months old news. I figure if you're going to just regurgitate a story you should do it as soon as possible.
This reminds me of the off shore platforms described in Dale Brown's book: The Hammerheads
exactly what I thought
"The platforms would utilize RFID readers to detect what types of cargo passed through its screen"
I always RFID my contraband.
Surely the terrorists are not going to have RFID chips in their shipments of nuclear bombs, and if they do, presumably those RFID tags are NOT going to admit that they are attached to bombs, they will instead lie and pretend to be nappies or something. Hence this is completely and utterly stupid and innefective??!
I'd rather die free then live in any other way.
I'd rather die free then live in any other way.
Luckyly some other people also noticed this: "platforms would utilize RFID readers"
Yeah right, I'd tag my cocaine, suitcase nuke, or other contraband. :-)