Container Inspection Research Articles

Automated object detection for muon tomography data analysis

In recent years, there have been ongoing efforts to improve screening technologies to improve security and prevent terrorist threats. The most widely used technologies for scanning shipping containers are gamma and X-ray radiography, which can be harmful to operators and the environment. Muon tomography screening systems are considered as a potential tool to enhance border security and prevent terrorist threats or smuggling, especially in the context of shipping container inspections. Muon tomography uses naturally occurring cosmic ray muons to create detailed images of the inside of objects, such as shipping containers, without the need for physical intervention. Various realistic smuggling scenarios were simulated using the GEANT4 toolkit. The implemented filtering algorithms successfully reduce background noise from the surrounding cargo, enabling the detection of concealed threats and contraband. With the tools provided by the ROOT data analysis package, prohibited items can be automatically detected and localized in a cargo container.

A method of three-dimensional muon imaging using cosmic ray ground array

Cosmic ray muon imaging technology is an effective non-destructive imaging technique. It is currently used to survey the internal structure of large-scale objects such as active volcanoes, pyramids, and some buildings. Additionally, it is used to detect high-Z materials in scenarios such as border security, nuclear reactor monitoring, and container inspection. All applications of cosmic ray muons require a detector to reveal and measure the flux or angular variations of muons. However, detectors may have specific characteristics for each application depending on the detection requirements. Unlike single-point track detectors, we propose using ground array detectors to investigate how ground array detection technology can be used for 3D reconstruction of objects. We use ground array detection technology for simulation studies and apply the Iterative Correction Algorithm (ICA) to reconstruct two-dimensional projections and obtain three-dimensional images of density distribution. We have also addressed the convergence problem and analyzed and optimized some parameters that may affect the detection results. The advantages of using ground arrays include their ability to simultaneously measure the transmittance flux data of muons in different directions, achieve multi-angle detection, and have a large field of view, enabling the collection of sufficient data for more accurate detection results. To verify the feasibility of our new method, we conducted a simple experimental validation on a cylindrical cement building located in the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO). By comparing the experimental results with the cement building in the array, we found that their shape structure and density information are basically consistent, demonstrating the effectiveness of our method.

Exploring diverse maintenance and repair standards in the container industry: a comparative analysis of criteria and practices

The maintenance and repair standards have always been a problem in the container industry. Due to different preferences of criterias of different parties caused many conflicts. This paper examines the different types of criterias and standards for general purpose containers, and different areas of use of these criterias. The main reason of this paper is to be an explanatory element to define the differences of these criterias. The fundamental structural dimensional basis for an intermodal container is ISO container standards which defines the main structural features. Although it presents dimensional tolerances to a certain degree, it is nearly impossible to use these criterias for the operators and owners in day to day operations. As a result there have been various published maintenance and repair criterias, used by different parties partaking in the container industry. The different organizations and associations published standards suiting their own needs. Although there are lesser implemented criterias like Wind and Water Tight and Cargo Worth, the most known and most implemented criterias around the world are Unified Container Inspection and Repair Criteria, Common Interchange Criteria and IICL publications. While the Wind and Water Tight criteria is generally used for containers which are used as storage, the Cargo Worthy is used for the containers meet the minimum requirements for transport. The Unified Container Inspection Criteria is preferred by the shipping lines and operators, and the Common Interchange Criteria and IICL – 6 are preferred by lessors.

Planning container inspection and repair: A case study

The aim of this paper is to introduce a real-life problem of optimal planning of container inspection and repair on several facilities over several time periods assuring effective supply of empty containers indispensable for seamless global maritime transportation. The containers are of several types and quality levels. The objective is to minimize the total holding, inspection, repair, transportation and rejection costs. We formulate a deterministic min-cost multi-commodity network flow problem and prove NP-hardness for two special cases. Values of the rejection costs are determined such that no container is rejected in an optimal solution if there exists a feasible solution with no container rejected. An algorithmic mechanism is proposed to support a negotiation of periodic container demands between the container provider and the container users with the aim to reduce the overall costs. Computer experiments with instances obtained by random deviation from industrial data demonstrate that the majority of instances with up to 4 facilities, 4 container types, 7 quality levels, and 7, 14 or 30 time periods can be solved with an acceptable quality using an academic version of CPLEX in two hours on a standard PC.

Profiling of Aedes Mosquito Breeding Sites at Residential Construction Sites in Malaysia

Introduction: Poor waste management led to mosquito breeding grounds. Previous research found that construction sites are the mosquito breeding area thus it’s important to understand how construction sites affect mosquito breeding. Methods: This study utilized a prospective study to determine the characteristic of breeding preference in residential construction sites. On-field breeding preference survey was conduct in the selected project site in 12 weeks (1st October 2021 until 31st December 2021). Wet container inspection was carried out according to types of the residential construction building and progress of the site. All possible wet materials and containers was inspected and record accordingly in the form during the surveillance. Results: Result shows that the most preferred containers found was building floor (41.68%), others such as planter box that use for landscape purpose, drainage system, building mould and lift wells. The results of the research indicate that prospective containers with water and breeding sites at high rise construction sites were found to be more than those at low rise construction sites. Conclusion: Overall, substantially fewer water containers were discovered in low rise projects compared to high rise projects. Construction management need encourage all the workers to do best management practice such as proper waste disposal and removal of the water and possible wet container and conduct awareness among the workers.

Policy implications for gaps in traditional plastic waste material flow analysis: Palmerston North, New Zealand

The Basel Plastic Waste Amendments reflect growing global concern about the illegal plastic waste trade as waste colonialism. Comprehensive analyses of plastic waste material sources, pathways, and fates are needed for effective plastic waste trade policy. Plastics waste flows from Palmerston North, New Zealand to Malaysia highlight potential gaps in plastic waste trade policies. The authors recommend strengthening New Zealand's national waste policy framework and the Basel Convention's Plastics Amendments by basing policy responses on critical transboundary plastic waste material flow analyses, establishing harmonized definitions including “recyclable” and “environmentally sound recycling”; regulating contamination thresholds and container inspections; and waste trade traceability, transparency, compliance, enforcement, and remediation; reclassifying fluorinated polymers and thermosets as “hazardous”; and prioritizing principles of prevention, proximity and precaution over future investments in the management of plastic waste.

Potential increased radiological risk in cargo scanning activity

The image-based cargo inspection systems are generally intended to identify illegal practices. However, imaging processes from the scanning of motorized containers have been used for increasing industrial safety. This is made possible by the application of high-energy particle linear accelerators (linac). Measurements of both the environmental equivalent dose rate (δH*(10), and the integrated environmental equivalent dose (H*(10) were performed. The estimation of δH*(10) and H*(10) in the scanning channel, including the driver’s cab of the truck transporting the container, is critical. The aim of this study is to check the radiological safety for occasional users (drivers) by comparing the levels of δH*(10) and H*(10) with those adopted for public exposure. The study was experimentally conducted in a cargo and container inspection facility that uses a linac operating at the maximum energy of 4.5 MeV. During the in situ measurements, a SpiR-ID identifier detector Model F 8929 MGP manufactured by Mirion Technologies was used. The measurements in the driver’s cab suggest that the procedure can be considered safe. However, a fast transient of δH*(10) was identified recording raised values (peaks) around 210× the threshold for public exposures in the first 9 s of each scanning procedure.

Cost minimizing planning of container inspection and repair in multiple facilities

A problem of optimal mid-term or long-term planning of inspection and repair of freight containers in multiple facilities is introduced and investigated. The containers are of different types and quality levels, which define their repair costs and workforce requirements. The objective function includes the total holding, inspection, repair, transportation and rejection costs. We propose a deterministic, time-dependent, integer linear min-cost multi-commodity network-flow formulation. The problem is shown to be polynomially solvable if there is a single facility, a single time period and all the containers are repairable and have to be repaired. It is shown to be NP-hard for three important special cases. The computational results of our experiments on randomly generated instances based on real data show that instances of sizes 3 facilities, 4 container types and up to 9 container quality levels can be solved with CPLEX in 5 minutes on a conventional PC, even for 30 periods, with an optimality gap of less than 3%. This is sufficient for medium-term or weekly planning or for short-term recovery planning. However, there are instances of the same magnitude, but with 360 periods of a considerably longer planning horizon, for which an optimality gap of 28% remained even after 10 hours of CPLEX computation.

Non-intrusive inspection of cargo containers using the C-BORD Rapidly Relocatable Tagged Neutron Inspection System

The European H2020 project, entitled “effective Container inspection at BORDer control points” (C-BORD), aims to develop a framework of Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technologies, for containers and large-volume freight at the EU borders. In this article the first results of the field trials of the Rapidly Relocatable Tagged Neutron Inspection System (RRTNIS) are reported. The tests were carried out at the customs administration of the Netherlands' (DCA) facility in the seaport of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. For the tests mock-up cargo containers were prepared. The containers were analyzed using the whole set of NII subsystems of the C-BORD framework. Each container underwent a session of subsequent scans with all the subsystems, in order to realistically reproduce the normal flow of inspections at the customs facility. The RRTNIS was tested under these realistic conditions, as well. The system was able to separate and identify the target materials, in mock-up containers, and improve the state-of-the-art in terms of the detected quantities.

Shielding design for the control room of an X-ray cargo container inspection system using Monte Carlo simulations

In the present research, the shielding of the control room of an X-ray inspection system was designed by MCNP Monte Carlo simulation code in order to reduce the dose rate of the control room below the acceptable value of 0.5 μSv/h. To do this, after the simulation of the linear electron accelerator, accelerator carrier truck, container and ground, the required thickness of leads have been calculated for each walls of the control room. It was found that the thickness of the required lead for each walls of the control room is different from 2 mm to 1 cm. In this situation, the dose rate inside the control room would be 0.3 μSv/h (with the relative uncertainty of 11%). The mass of the lead used in this case was equal to 2.2 tons.

Fast radiological safety evaluation applied to maintenance in cargo and container inspection facilities.

The application of nuclear technologies in a cargo and container inspection facility can increase the risk of accidents. Estimating the radiation dose in the controlled area generates critical information for elaborating routines aimed at establishing more effective safety procedures. For radiological protection purposes, mapping ambient dose equivalent H*(10) levels is crucial. The radiation source used was a fixed linear accelerator of 4.5MeV. Five RadEye PRD-ER (Thermo Fisher Scientific) personal radiation monitors and five Geiger-Müller MRAD 111 (Ultra Radac) personal radiation monitors were used for the radiation measurements. The highest ambient equivalent dose rate and dose per scan were found with the Geiger-Müller monitors at values of 5.76E-01mSv/h and 1.12E-03mSv, respectively. The results showed that for public individuals, the number of scans at the point of highest dose rate value cannot exceed 893-unit operations. Additionally, the risks involved in the abnormal situation (increased H*(10)) were estimated by using a model to predict the development of solid cancer as a result of occupational radiological exposure. This procedure highlights the risks involved, hence providing initial support to the decision process.

Evaluation of the radiological risk in cargo scanning by comparison with known biological consequences

This study proposes a quick, easy, and low-cost method that can be used to assess the radiological safety of an irradiation line used for cargo and container inspection facilities. The radiation-emitting equipment used was a Smiths Heimam particle accelerator model HCVP4029 operating at 4.5 MeV. The radiation dose measurements were performed using a personal radiation monitor Ultra Radac mod MRAD 111 (Geiger–Muller). The ambient equivalent dose H*(10) was estimated for two facilities: A (real) (1.12E-03 mSv per scan) and B (fictitious) (3.25E-03 mSv per scan). The dimensionless factor R, which represents a ratio between two specific scanning (Ss) quantities regarding the facilities A and B, is introduced as a reference for assessing the level of radiological safety. This study compares facilities A and B by using a simple alternative safety assessment based on the R factor. The dimensionless R-value appears to be able to facilitate both the personnel’s and the general public’s perception of risk levels, even with no fixed scale.

Advanced container inspection system based on dual-angle X-ray imaging method

In 2007, the U.S. Congress mandated the implementation of the “Security and Accountability For Every Port Act of 2006,” which requires complete scanning of 100% of U.S.-bound shipping containers. To address this requirement, we developed a container inspection method that enables continuous high-speed screening, with considerable performance improvement. In this study, we developed a fixed-type high-precision container inspection system using dual-angle X-ray beams from a 9 MV linear accelerator (LINAC). We first calculated the X-ray irradiation angle-dependent changes in the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the images via Monte Carlo simulation. Using the calculated CNRs, the primary and secondary angles of the X-ray beam were set to 0° and 2.8°, respectively. A system based on the proposed dual-angle X-ray imaging technology was installed and evaluated by scanning a real cargo container truck. For the evaluation, we designed test equipment based on the ANSI N42.46 report and examined the beam penetration power, contrast sensitivity, spatial resolution, and wire detectability of the developed system. The maximum penetration thicknesses for the primary and secondary angle beams were found to be 410 and 400 mm, respectively. At the primary beam angle, the contrast sensitivities were 1.52% and 0.49% when the thicknesses of the steel plate were 80% and 50% of the maximum penetration thickness, respectively. At the secondary angle, the sensitivities were 1.88% at 80% maximum penetration thickness, and 0.5% at 50%. A line pattern formed by individual slits of 4.6 mm width could be easily recognized in an acquired image. In addition, the developed system could clearly identify a 1.6 mm diameter copper wire. Further, when a steel plate was added, the change in the wire-recognition ability of the imaging system was found to be similar at both beam angles. These results indicate that the developed system is suitable for container screening using a 9 MV LINAC. Shapes that could not be identified from one beam irradiation angle could more accurately be analyzed using images from two different angles.

Performances of C-BORD’s Tagged Neutron Inspection System for Explosives and Illicit Drugs Detection in Cargo Containers

In the frame of the effective Container inspection at BORDer control points (C-BORD) project [H2020 program of the European Union (EU)], a Rapidly Relocatable Tagged Neutron Inspection System (RRTNIS) has been developed for a nonintrusive inspection of cargo containers, aiming at explosives and other illicit goods detection. Twenty large-volume NaI detectors are used to determine the elements composing inspected materials from their specific gamma-ray spectra signatures induced by fast neutrons. The RRTNIS inspection is focused on a specific suspect area selected by X-ray radiography. An unfolding algorithm decomposes the energy spectrum of this suspect area on a database of pure element gamma signatures. A classification is then performed between inorganic materials, such as metals, ceramics, or chemicals, and organic materials like wood, fabrics, or plastic goods. Concerning organic materials, the obtained elemental proportions of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen allow discriminating explosives from illicit drugs and benign substances. This article reports on the final laboratory tests performed at Commissariat L'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA) Saclay, France, to assess the RRTNIS detection performances before further demonstration tests in a real seaport environment. Simulants of explosives and illicit drugs have been hidden at different depths inside iron or wood cargo materials, which are representative of the different neutron and gamma attenuation properties encountered in real cargo containers. Hundreds of experiments have been performed, showing that a few kilograms of explosives or narcotics can be detected by the RRTNIS in 10-min inspections.

Sea container inspection with tagged neutrons

Neutron inspection of sea-going cargo containers has been widely studied in the past 20 yr to non-intrusively detect terrorist threats, like explosives or Special Nuclear Materials (SNM), and illicit goods, like narcotics or smuggling materials. Fast 14 MeV neutrons are produced by a portable generator with the t(d, n)α fusion reaction, and tagged in both direction and time thanks to the alpha particle detection. This Associated Particle Technique (APT) allows focusing inspection on specific areas of interest in the containers, previously identified as containing suspicious items with X-ray radiographic scanners or radiation portal monitors. We describe the principle of APT for non-nuclear material identification, and for nuclear material detection, then we provide illustrations of the performances for 10 min inspections with significant quantities (kilograms) of explosives, illicit drugs, or SNM, in different cargo cover loads (e.g. metallic, organic, or ceramic matrices).

Manual de Prácticas para el Mejor Manejo Postcosecha del Mango

Mejorar la calidad y laconsistencia de los frutos frescos de mangos que están disponibles para los consumidores en los Estados Unidos de Norteamérica es un importante objetivo del National Mango Board (NMB). El National Mango Board financió el proyecto: “Monitoreo y Evaluación de la Cadena de Suministro del Mango para mejorar su Calidad”, el cual se denominó Proyecto de Calidad del Mango, el cual fue conducido de Diciembre 2007 a Abril de 2009 para identificar los problemas que impiden el que se puedan lograr estos objetivos de manera exitosa. El producto final del Proyecto de Calidad de Mango es este Manual sobre las Mejores Practicas para la Cosecha y el Manejo de los Mangos Comercializados en los Estados Unidos de Norteamérica. Este manual incluye los procedimientos de control de calidad a ser utilizados cuando se monitoree la madurez y calidad en las operaciones comerciales en cuanto al manejo de los frutos de mangos. El manual de 73 páginas se puede descargar haciendo 'clic' en el ícono de PDF ubicado en la esquina superior izquierda, o haga 'clic' aqui.

Intelligent method of customs inspection platform based on machine vision

In the existing customs inspection, the inspection of outbound goods includes recording the arrival time of containers, opening and closing of containers, and the departure time of containers. This method takes a lot of time to manually record the relevant information of each container and manually input it to the server. This paper presents an intelligent method of customs inspection platform based on machine vision, through the analysis of collected video information processing, the inspection of each node in the process of time, behavior, such as digital processing, database, automatically record each inspection position of the box, opening time, sorting, inspection, packing, closing time, leaving time, behavior, compliance and other information. It greatly improves the efficiency and safety of container inspection and avoids the random and uncertain behavior of manual record. This system can automatically record the dynamic changes of containers in the storage yard in real time without anyone participating, improve the digitization and accuracy of the information of container state changes, reduce the working intensity of customs personnel, and reduce the working risks of personnel in the storage yard.

Traffic impact analysis of inspection area site selection at a foreign trade container terminal

ABSTRACTTo improve the security and efficiency of terminal operations, a key issue for land area layout at a foreign trade container terminal is to plan and design an inspection area. Since it directly affects terminal traffic, while determining inspection area site selection, we should pay a great attention to operations and management of terminal traffic as well as container inspection. This paper employs a system decomposition technique to develop an integrated simulation framework, which enables us to flexibly obtain the whole picture of terminal traffic conditions and evaluate traffic impacts of inspection area site selection. A real-world terminal with typical patterns of land area layout is chosen to carry out a case study, which shows that traffic flow is unevenly distributed on the terminal road network and that the distribution is influenced by truck streams at the terminal. New findings also include: (1) traffic volume at the terminal apron is rather unbalanced in association with the non-continuous utilization of berths; (2) a proper inspection area should be located near the gate if the terminal conditions permit from the perspective of terminal traffic. This work may provide a decision-making reference for the planning and construction of foreign trade container terminals.

Experimental validation of material discrimination ability of muon scattering tomography at the TUMUTY facility

Muon scattering tomography is believed to be a promising technique for cargo container inspection, owing to the ability of natural muons to penetrate into dense materials and the absence of artificial radiation. In this work, the material discrimination ability of muon scattering tomography is evaluated based on experiments at the Tsinghua University cosmic ray muon tomography facility, with four materials: flour (as drugs substitute), aluminum, steel, and lead. The features of the different materials could be discriminated with cluster analysis and classifiers based on support vector machine. The overall discrimination precisions for these four materials could reach 70, 95, and 99% with 1-, 5-, and 10-min-long measurement, respectively.

Characterization of a Radiation Source for a Container Inspection System Based on a Dual-Energy RF Linac

A container inspection system (CIS) is a piece of that uses X-rays to scan inside a cargo container without opening it. These X-rays are generated by Bremsstrahlung which occurs when an electron beam accelerated by using a radio frequency (RF) linear accelerator (linac) hits a metal target. The RF linear accelerator is fed 2856 MHz RF power from a magnetron and accelerates the electron beam so that it attains energies up to 6 and 9 MeV. The linac is designed as standing-wave type linac, and RF power is transferred between cavity cells through side-coupling cells inside the linac. Bremsstrahlung radiation generated at the target penetrates the cargo container, and transmitted X-rays are detected by using detection modules. Detected X-ray signals are post-processed by using imaging software, and finalized images are obtained. The linac cavity was designed and fabricated by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), and dual-energy X-rays were successfully generated after RF conditioning. Finally we could obtain scanning images that could be used to distinguish organic from non-organic materials. Diagnostics have been conducted to characterize the electron beam and the X-rays to verify CIS performance and improve the scanning image. In this paper, we discuss the configuration of and performance test results for the X-ray generating linac developed by the KAERI.