Identifying passengers and workers while detecting threatening items they may be carrying, in a few seconds and with a high degree of accuracy, is a very difficult task performed millions of times a day to ensure air, rail and maritime security. An ideal screening system would give the security operators enough information in an appropriate format to allow for the speedy and accurate raising of alarms. The acceptance of the technologies employed, both by operators and the people affected by their use, is just as important as their performance and effectiveness.

Spending billions of dollars and deploying thousands of people to fortify every seaport and airport is an extremely inefficient and expensive way to stop terrorists from using cargo containers for their purposes, especially as they would probably use other means. Securing cargo requires a more comprehensive and effective approach than just putting up fences and gates. To safeguard the flow of goods, every government needs to improve the way cargo information is shared and used, in particular enhancing international cooperation.

Methods for detecting and positively identifying explosives and a wide range of dangerous substances that might be employed by terrorist groups should be implemented not only in airports, but also in train stations and other key places. Detecting trace quantities of critical substances has become a difficult task due to their deliberate concealment and the small amount of materials necessary to produce mass damage. To safeguard the transportation nodes, a comprehensive range of fixed and mobile detection instruments should be deployed.

Security operators need to be able to analyze risks and track criminals and terrorists in the event of an act of terrorism. The core problem in achieving this visibility continues to be a lack of timely information sharing among the various players in the transportation chain. Today, several activities rely on the speed and precision of human operators. Closing the real gaps in transportation security means focusing on sensible, uniform security and transparency enhancing processes that will boost the level of automation of all aspects of the transportation ecosystem