DHS stresses supply chain security

The global supply chain system provides food, medicine, and a variety of other products that are vital to daily life.  The supply chain is so interconnected that nations’ economies are interdependent upon each other.  However, the expansive nature of the global supply chain leaves it vulnerable to disruption, whether the disruption is naturally occurring or manmade.  To ensure the security and resilience of the global supply chain, there is a need to shift focus from “just-in-time” delivery to “just-in-case” security.

The Obama administration’s new National Strategy for Global Supply Chain Security began in response to the Security and Accountability for Every Port (SAFE Port) Act of 2006, and builds on previous legislative requirements and the collaborative efforts of the U.S. Government, state, local, tribal, international, and private sector stakeholders to strengthen the global supply chain.  The Strategy’s approach to supply chain security has two principal goals: to promote the timely and efficient flow of legitimate commerce, and to foster a global supply chain system that is prepared for and can withstand a variety of threats.  These goals will be reached through a whole-of-government approach that involves collaboration with state and local governments, as well as the private sector and the international community.

The Strategy emphasizes the importance of increased cooperation among governments, agencies, and the private sector, especially in the areas of Maritime Domain Awareness, international and domestic port security, cargo security and supply chain integrity, and information sharing.  The Strategy discusses measures currently being taken to ensure the future safety and security of the global supply chain.  One such effort is the establishment of Interagency Operations Centers (IOCs), an interagency effort of the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and other agencies to improve efficiency and effectiveness in select U.S. ports.

For more information about DHS plans for greater supply chain security, please follow the link below.
National Strategy for Global Supply Chain Security, The White House
Joint Testimony before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security addressing supply chain security, Department of Homeland Security