Sunday, December 24, 2006 X-ray machine ready for use in January
A P200-MILLION X-ray machine that reveals a container van’s contents will be ready at the Cebu International Port (CIP) next month.
Named the “mobile container inspection system,” the machine and its parts arrived from China a few days ago inside a 40-footer and one 20-footer container van, respectively.
Dick Cariño, Port of Cebu Bureau of Customs (BOC) chief of staff, said the equipment proved effective and accurate during testing.
It is currently used in Australia, the United States and other parts of the world, he said.
Location
Cebu Port Authority (CPA) General Manager Angelo Verdan said he already talked with Port of Cebu District Collector Ricardo Belmonte on where to place the machine.
The machine will be installed near the BOC office.
Belmonte said the customs commissioner ordered at least six X-ray machines for installation at the Manila International Container Port, Port of Manila, Port of Cebu, Port of Cagayan de Oro and Port of Davao.
In 2004, then CPA commissioner Tomas A. Riveral asked that the agency enter into an agreement with the BOC for an X-ray machine that will detect smuggled goods or misdeclared shipments at the CIP.
Useful machine
But CPA board members later decided to just have the BOC buy the equipment, being the agency that benefits the most in terms of collection of duties and taxes.
The CPA just collects wharfage fees for docking vessels and storage fees for cargos.
Last year, then district collector Ma. Lourdes V. Mangaoang said the machine is useful not only in the fight against smuggling but also against criminality and terrorism.
In an interview, Cariño said that it takes five to 10 minutes for a container van to pass through the machine.
Because of possible radiation contamination, drivers of the trucks hauling the vans will have to disembark before their units are checked. (EOB)
