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Multilevel, threshold-based policies for cargo container security screening systems

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  • McLay, Laura A.
  • Dreiding, Rebecca

Abstract

To mitigate the threat of nuclear terrorism within the US using nuclear material that has been smuggled into the country, the US Bureau of Customs and Border Protection has expanded its cargo container detection capabilities at ports of entry into the US This paper formulates a risk-based screening framework for determining how to define a primary screening alarm for screening cargo containers given a set of dependent primary screening devices. To do so, this paper proposes two linear programming models for screening cargo containers for nuclear material at port security stations using knapsack problem models. All cargo containers undergo primary screening, where they are screened by a given number of security devices. The objective is to identifying the primary security outcomes that warrant a system alarm for each container risk group such that the system detection probability is maximized, subject to a screening budget. The base model is compared to a second model that explicitly requires a threshold-based policy. The structural properties of the two models are compared, which indicates that all risk groups except at most one have deterministic screening policies. A computational example suggests that the detection probability is not significantly altered by enforcing a threshold policy.

Suggested Citation

  • McLay, Laura A. & Dreiding, Rebecca, 2012. "Multilevel, threshold-based policies for cargo container security screening systems," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 220(2), pages 522-529.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:ejores:v:220:y:2012:i:2:p:522-529
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ejor.2012.01.060
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Endre Boros & Noam Goldberg & Paul Kantor & Jonathan Word, 2011. "Optimal sequential inspection policies," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 187(1), pages 89-119, July.
    2. Concho, Ana Lisbeth & Ramirez-Marquez, Jose Emmanuel, 2010. "An evolutionary algorithm for port-of-entry security optimization considering sensor thresholds," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 95(3), pages 255-266.
    3. Gary Gaukler & Chenhua Li & Rory Cannaday & Sunil Chirayath & Yu Ding, 2011. "Detecting nuclear materials smuggling: using radiography to improve container inspection policies," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 187(1), pages 65-87, July.
    4. Ramirez-Marquez, Jose Emmanuel, 2008. "Port-of-entry safety via the reliability optimization of container inspection strategy through an evolutionary approach," Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Elsevier, vol. 93(11), pages 1698-1709.
    5. Laura McLay & Jamie Lloyd & Emily Niman, 2011. "Interdicting nuclear material on cargo containers using knapsack problem models," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 187(1), pages 185-205, July.
    6. Nedialko Dimitrov & Dennis Michalopoulos & David Morton & Michael Nehme & Feng Pan & Elmira Popova & Erich Schneider & Gregory Thoreson, 2011. "Network deployment of radiation detectors with physics-based detection probability calculations," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 187(1), pages 207-228, July.
    7. Jason R. W. Merrick & Laura A. McLay, 2010. "Is Screening Cargo Containers for Smuggled Nuclear Threats Worthwhile?," Decision Analysis, INFORMS, vol. 7(2), pages 155-171, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Romero, Pablo & Graneri, Jorge & Viera, Omar & Moscatelli, Sandro & Tansini, Libertad, 2016. "A Multi-Tree Committee to assist port-of-entry inspection decisions," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 253(1), pages 170-177.
    2. Kretschmann, Lutz & Münsterberg, Torsten, 2017. "Simulation-framework for illicit-goods detection in large volume freight," Chapters from the Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL), in: Kersten, Wolfgang & Blecker, Thorsten & Ringle, Christian M. (ed.), Digitalization in Supply Chain Management and Logistics: Smart and Digital Solutions for an Industry 4.0 Environment. Proceedings of the Hamburg Inter, volume 23, pages 427-448, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute of Business Logistics and General Management.
    3. Mohammad Ebrahim Nikoofal & Morteza Pourakbar & Mehmet Gumus, 2023. "Securing containerized supply chain through public and private partnership," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 32(7), pages 2341-2361, July.
    4. Bagchi, Aniruddha & Paul, Jomon A., 2017. "Espionage and the optimal standard of the Customs-Trade Partnership against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program in maritime security," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 262(1), pages 89-107.
    5. Sushil Gupta & Martin K. Starr & Reza Zanjirani Farahani & Mahsa Mahboob Ghodsi, 2020. "Prevention of Terrorism–An Assessment of Prior POM Work and Future Potentials," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 29(7), pages 1789-1815, July.
    6. Richard R. Young & Gary A. Gordon, 2020. "Intermodal maritime supply chains: assessing factors for resiliency and security," Journal of Transportation Security, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 231-244, December.
    7. Pala, Ali & Zhuang, Jun, 2018. "Security screening queues with impatient applicants: A new model with a case study," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 265(3), pages 919-930.
    8. Yan, Xihong & Nie, Xiaofeng, 2016. "Optimal placement of multiple types of detectors under a small vessel attack threat to port security," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 71-94.
    9. Gino J. Lim & Jaeyoung Cho & Selim Bora & Taofeek Biobaku & Hamid Parsaei, 2018. "Models and computational algorithms for maritime risk analysis: a review," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 271(2), pages 765-786, December.
    10. Konrad, Renata A. & Trapp, Andrew C. & Palmbach, Timothy M. & Blom, Jeffrey S., 2017. "Overcoming human trafficking via operations research and analytics: Opportunities for methods, models, and applications," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 259(2), pages 733-745.
    11. Dreiding, Rebecca A. & McLay, Laura A., 2013. "An integrated model for screening cargo containers," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 230(1), pages 181-189.

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