Port Manatee recertified for anti-terrorism program

Port Manatee, Palmetto, Fla., has earned certification for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program.

Known as C-TPAT, the voluntary program was enacted after the Sept. 11 attacks to allow companies with documented risk alleviation procedures to bypass some customs inspections and accelerate the cargo import process. Port Manatee first received certification for the program in 2016.

“As a member of the C-TPAT homeland security program, Port Manatee is able to streamline the clearance of import shipments of trusted port users while boosting overall portwide security,” David St. Pierre , Port Manatee’s director of public safety and security, said in a news release.

The recertification reflects Port Manatee’s achievement of heightened federal standards for cybersecurity, according to the release.

“Certified C-TPAT membership is part of Port Manatee’s sustained commitment to supply chain integrity, protecting those who work at the port while ensuring the swift, efficient movement of cargos,” Priscilla Whisenant Trace, chairwoman of the Manatee County Port Authority, said in the release.

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