Passport Systems Begins Constructing Cargo Inspection Facility at Massport
Passport Systems, Inc. says it has started construction of a new non-intrusive cargo inspection facility at the Massachusetts Port Authority’s Port of Boston, Conley Container Terminal. The company will be supplying its SmartScan 3D automated cargo inspection system, which can detect, locate and identify contraband, and automatically clear or confirm alarms. Construction of the facility is the next phase in a Domestic Nuclear Detection Office effort under the Nuclear and Radiological Imaging Platform-Advanced Technology Demonstration project that was awarded to Passport Systems in 2012. The cargo inspection facility is expected to be operational in early 2016. “Upon delivery, the SmartScan 3D scanner is expected to increase the effectiveness and efficiency by which cargo coming through the Port of Boston is assessed,” says Robert Ledoux, president and CEO of Passport Systems. Passport Systems awarded the construction contract for the facility to NELCO Worldwide, Inc., which specializes in the design and construction of specialized radiological facilities.
Israeli Firm Launches Upgraded Maritime Intelligence Solution
Israel’s Windward, a maritime data and analytics company, has launched the next generation of its MARINT maritime intelligence solution, which basically helps security and intelligence agencies identify risks at sea before a problem or threat is apparent. Windward says the upgraded platform “is the first to bring activity-based intelligence to the maritime domain, shifting the focus from individual targets to an analysis of all available data and revealing new and unknown targets.” MARINT now offers customers two modules, an Early Warning system for real-time alerts on ships that match each agency’s interests and specific risk indicators, and a Target Discovery system that allows agencies to go beyond known threats to reveal unknown targets, with our without prior intelligence. Windward says the Target Discovery system automatically flags ships that deviate from their “patterns of life, suggesting a possible new threat,” and analyzes patterns of individual ships known to be engaged in illicit activity and then finds others that fit similar patterns.
NXT-ID Part of Battelle Team in Army’s TIES Contract
NXT-ID [NXTD] says it’s subsidiary 3D-ID LLC, which provides biometric identity solutions, is part of Battelle’s team for the biometrics technology portion of the Army’s recently awarded Technical Information Engineering (TIES) unrestricted suite contract. The Army in early May awarded the potential $994 million TIES contract to nine companies, allowing them to compete for task orders. NXT-ID says the work under TIES covers multiple areas of interest supporting the information and intelligence mission including Biometric Enabled Intelligence. The company also says 3D-ID provides a suite of 3D facial recognition products.
DHS Transitions Robotic Device for Testing Guns and Ammo to ICE
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology branch has successfully completed the transition of technology—a robotic devices that tests multiple types of handguns and ammunition—to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Firearms and Tactical Programs Army Operations Branch. Agents will use the device to supplement manual testing of the weapons by laboratory staff. The Virtual Shooter device was developed through S&T’s First Responder Group and is expected to reduce, and possibly eliminate, injuries from repetitive firing currently performed by individuals. The ICE unit also provides armory services to Customs and Border Protection and the Federal Protective Service. The intent is to ultimately make Virtual Shooter commercially available to other law enforcement agencies and industry.