The Project > Timeline of Events

• August 2001
  US Coast Guard Commander Steven Flynn (PhD) provides an overview to northern New England/New York & Eastern Canadian law enforcement regarding engaging the private sector in combating crime & anti-terrorism. Following his presentation, the former US Marshal for NH (R. Gagnon) asks Dr. Flynn if a prototype/pilot demonstrating this new way of looking at border security and international trade corridors would help. Response was affirmative.
  
  October 2001
  The NH Dept of Economic Development hosts a meeting with Cdr. Flynn and Representatives of the NH business community and members of the New Hampshire Canada Trade Council regarding the prototype. Operation Safe Commerce is conceived to initially identify gaps and track a container, future phases would expand in scope and depth to include more complicated supply chains throughout New England & Maritime Canada. Discussion focused on establishing New Hampshire and the Northeast as a prototype site for the nation to a variety of potential technological applications.
  
  November 2001
  US Coast Guard, US Customs, Dr. Flynn and others provide a briefing regarding the initiative to the NH Governor Shaheen. Governor agrees to chair the project and serve as the link to the other New England States.
  
  November 2001
  Osram Sylvania in Hillsboro NH volunteers their supply chain for use during Phase One.
  
  December 2001
  Funds secured for Operation Safe Commerce Phase 1 by the US Dept of Defense Technical Support Working Group (TSWG). The US DOT Volpe Transportation R&D Center in Massachusetts is engaged to assist with the technical aspects of the project.

• February 2002
  New England Governors briefed on the project at their meeting in Washington DC. Decision made to support OSC and ask for a project update at their joint meeting in August with the Eastern Canadian Provincial Premiers.
  
  February 2002
  Funds secured for Volpe to proceed in concert with OSC, which had organized itself as a joint law enforcement sub-committee of the US Attorneys offices for Newv Hampshire and Vermont. The two USA's will serve as chairs along with the Governor of NH, as the New England Governors representative.
  
  March - May 2002
  Convene regional state, federal and private sector partners for the phase 1 prototype pilot - (Private sector: Osram Sylvania, BDP International, CP Ships, and Port of Montreal). Conduct a gap analysis of the supply chain, plus develop a plan of action for the actual test.
  
  April 2002
  OSC prototype is included as an update to the Ridge-Manley Smart Border Accord under Action Item #20 (Intelligent Transportation System) in a message communicated between DOT and DOS on the 4/15/02.
  
  May - June 2002
  Conducted prototype that successfully monitors, seals and tracks a container from Eastern Europe to the Port of Hamburg to the Port of Montreal and then transport via truck to New Hampshire
  
  July 2002
  Banff, Alberta - OSC-NE presentation to the US Attorney General and Canada Solicitor General as part of Cross-Border Crime Forum
  
  July - August 2002
  Draft preliminary report of findings and brief appropriate federal DC agencies. OSC initiates plans for additional prototypes of more sophisticated and complex international supply chains.
  
  August 2002
  Host national and regional Operation Safe Commerce meeting in Burlington VT consisting of US and Canadian federal authorities, plus regional state/provincial public and private sector participants relative to international trade and security
  
  August 2002
  Brief New England Governors/Eastern Canadian Premiers on OSC Phase1 at their annual conference in Québec Canada. Governors and Premiers formally endorse OSC as an initiative with notification to their respective federal entities.
  
  September 2002
  Based on one of the findings from phase 1 referencing the need for national coordination and communication - OSC Northeast teams with the US Dept of Energy Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory - a national applied scientific laboratory.

• February 2003
  Develop a joint OSC-NE Phase 2 project with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; building on the findings of Phase 1. This phase will examine international cargo arriving to the US via the Ports of Halifax and Montreal and enhance train and truck security transported overland to the United States, plus the transshipment of cargo at the Port of Halifax to smaller vessels for delivery along the Atlantic coast to the ports of Portland ME, Portsmouth NH, and Boston MA.
  
  December 2003
  Memorandum of Understanding signed by Vermont Governor Douglas and Québec Premier Charest focusing on information sharing.

• January 2004
  Montreal meeting - decision to move forward with Phase 2a demonstrating improved technology and ability to provide real time data.
  
  February 2004
  Expand partnership to include the National Infrastructure Institute Center for Infrastructure Expertise (NI²-CIE) located in Portsmouth, NH.
  
  February 2004
  Formally change the initiative's name to Canada-United States Cargo Security Project (CUSCSP) in order to reflect better the Canada-United States International uniqueness of the project.
  
  March 2004
  Planning meeting in Québec City, Québec relative to phase 2.
  
  May 2004
  Planning session with commercial partners relative to various overseas International supply chains.
• March 2005
  NI²-CIE finalized the CUSCSP Charter Agreement, signed-off by all project partners, most notably Transport Canada and Canada Border Services Agency.
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  May 2005
  Port of Montreal decision to support the CUSCSP project and join the collaborative; Advisory Board met relative to preparations for next steps.

  May 2005
  Presentation by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory staff on the project and proposed technology at the IEEE Boston conference.

  July 2005
  Presentation to the National Excellence in Government Conference – CUSCSP: Model Public Private Partnership.

  September 2005
  In accordance with partnership requests, NI²-CIE finalized the CUSCSP Tests: Operations Protocol Agreement and Key Agencies / Private Sector Contacts’ Booklet.

  October 2005
  Conducted the first international cross border 1^st Responder training exercise along the Canadian/United States Border by the Province of Québec and the State of Vermont.
  
  November 2005
  NI²-CIE completed intelligent container interoperability studies.
  NI²-CIE completed various partner State, Province and Port funding protocols and administration in order to finance the first and second Phase II tests.

  December 2005 - January 2006
  Conducted 1^st Phase II - CUSCSP Intermodal Test on instrumented cargo utilizing technology developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories on cargo from Germany, with transport via barge to Belgium for an Atlantic crossing to the Port of Montreal and trucked through Vermont to its final destination in New Hampshire.

  February 2006
  NI²-CIE completed NY State funding protocols and administration in order to finance the final Phase II test and allocate funding for the final report.

  March 2006
  Conducted 2^nd Phase II - CUSCSP Intermodal Test on instrumented cargo utilizing technology developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories on cargo originating in Scotland and trucked to the Port of Liverpool for an Atlantic crossing to the Port of Halifax and transshipment by short sea vessel down the New England Coast to Portland Maine for final truck transport to central Maine.   

  April 2006
  Briefing to US Department of Homeland Security on 1^st test findings by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories staff and personnel from the National Infrastructure Institute.

  May 2006
  Briefing update on CUSCSP to the New England Governors/Eastern Canadian Premiers at their annual meeting in Newport, Rhode Island.

  May 2006
  Projected date for 3^rd and final Phase II CUSCSP Intermodal test on instrumented cargo utilizing technology developed by LLNL on Cargo originating in Germany with transport to the Port of Montreal for final destination in New York.