ResearchPosted on rand.org 2007Published in: Managing Critical Infrastructure Risks: Decision Tools and Applications for Port Security / edited by Igor Linkov, Richard J. Wenning, Gregory A. Kiker (Dordrecht, Netherlands : Springer, 2007), Ch. 5, p. 79-95
Over the past decades, container transport has been booming with an annual average growth of 9.3% increasing its modal share from 6.3% in 1980 to over 25% currently. The world's largest container ports now handle over 20 million 20-ft-equivalent units (TEUs) per annum and have shown spectacular growth over the past years, with the main pivot of growth being the Far East. The global flow of containers represents the lifeblood of modern economies, without which we would not be able to enjoy the way of life that we have. This unfortunately is exactly one of the criteria terrorists are known to apply when selecting their targets, rendering the global containerized supply chain a potentially attractive target.
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