Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ENTRANCE (EfficieNT Risk-bAsed iNspection of freight Crossing bordErs without disrupting business)
Berichtszeitraum: 2022-04-01 bis 2023-11-30
ENTRANCE aims to develop and validate a comprehensive user-based toolbox for risk-based non-intrusive inspection (NII) of cross-border freight movements, with particular focus on the EU Customs Union border, in order to enhance border security practitioners’ capabilities to protect society against a wide range of dangerous and illicit materials with minimum disruption of cross-border flow of goods.
ENTRANCE will deliver five major results which will constitute the ENTRANCE Toolbox and objectives:
1. ENTRANCE Automated Risk Assessment, Threat Recognition and Information Sharing Platform (ENARTIS) bringing together all risk assessment and threat detection data into a single integrated, automated and secure platform to allow for risk-based control of all cargo.
2. Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technologies for detecting contraband hidden in high-density cargo in open railway wagons combining two novel automated first-line techniques for in-motion detection of contraband, and a second-line technique to provide more information if required.
3. Enhanced relocatable unit for non-intrusive detection of multiple threats with more efficient detection of a larger number of dangerous and illegal goods comprising several NII technologies.
4. Developed Trans-European network of Radiation Portal Monitors (RPM) for passive detection of illicit nuclear and radioactive (NR) materials combining detection facilities of different types and technologies.
5. Novel high-speed RPM detection technology for passive detection of NR with minimal disturbance of flow.
ENTRANCE will deliver five major results which will constitute the ENTRANCE Toolbox and objectives:
1. ENTRANCE Automated Risk Assessment, Threat Recognition and Information Sharing Platform (ENARTIS) bringing together all risk assessment and threat detection data into a single integrated, automated and secure platform to allow for risk-based control of all cargo.
2. Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technologies for detecting contraband hidden in high-density cargo in open railway wagons combining two novel automated first-line techniques for in-motion detection of contraband, and a second-line technique to provide more information if required.
3. Enhanced relocatable unit for non-intrusive detection of multiple threats with more efficient detection of a larger number of dangerous and illegal goods comprising several NII technologies.
4. Developed Trans-European network of Radiation Portal Monitors (RPM) for passive detection of illicit nuclear and radioactive (NR) materials combining detection facilities of different types and technologies.
5. Novel high-speed RPM detection technology for passive detection of NR with minimal disturbance of flow.
During the second period of the project the ENTRANCE consortium completed the assessment of the developed technologies and tools by carrying out field tests over three weeks in May 2023 in the seaport of Rijeka, Croatia with the operational and logistical support of RBI, MOF and MOI. The developed Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technologies were tested on large containers on trucks to detect dangerous and illicit materials with minimum disruption of the cross-border flow of goods. Real targets, including guns, explosives, drugs, contraband, nuclear material and live radioactive sources were hidden in commercial containers to test the technologies in challenging, real-life scenarios.
In the framework of these field tests, X-ray image improvement, deep learning and de-overlapping of material discrimination organic/intermediate Z/metal were largely demonstrated and thus allowed to prove the performance of the “container wall removal” functionality of the tested tools. That functionality, in combination with the in-depth function, served to refine the operators’ reading of the container’s contents. Capabilities for discriminating objects one by one, and not only their 2D image superimposition, meant we could extend the material discrimination usefulness to the customs’ benefit.
The Rapidly Relocatable Tagged Neutron Inspection System (TNIS) was used to detect explosives, illicit drugs, toxic chemical agents and possibly contraband materials, and the photofission inspection system was deployed to detect Special Nuclear Material (SNM), thanks to a 7 MeV mobile accelerator - instead of a 9 MeV fixed installation as implemented in the preceding C-BORD project.
The trans-border control included a passive detection portal with a new fast RPM system development tested up to 30km/h.
An original method to control high-density iron ore field cargo was achieved by combining three technologies: 1) Declared vs Mass Measurement Comparison (DMMC) in real time; 2) Scattered Radiation Imaging (SRI) in real time; 3) Muons Scattering Imaging in second line.
These technologies and tools will have a crucial impact with operators as they will allow them to avoid having to unload containers (or at least significantly reduce the need to), thus reducing the time for manual checking, and will of course also be useful for training purposes.
ENTRANCE results were presented to the community in a Final Conference held on November 16th in Paris, France. The project was also featured in the EU-organized Security Research Event 2023 in October 2023 in Brussels, Belgium.
As a concluding note, it must be highlighted that starting a project in the context of the COVID pandemic, and concluding it with success while a war is raging in Ukraine i.e. at Europe’s doors, made for a not unsignificant challenge. Overcoming this challenge required in some circumstances exceptional efforts from the project partners – efforts that were carried out steadfastly and commendably.
In the framework of these field tests, X-ray image improvement, deep learning and de-overlapping of material discrimination organic/intermediate Z/metal were largely demonstrated and thus allowed to prove the performance of the “container wall removal” functionality of the tested tools. That functionality, in combination with the in-depth function, served to refine the operators’ reading of the container’s contents. Capabilities for discriminating objects one by one, and not only their 2D image superimposition, meant we could extend the material discrimination usefulness to the customs’ benefit.
The Rapidly Relocatable Tagged Neutron Inspection System (TNIS) was used to detect explosives, illicit drugs, toxic chemical agents and possibly contraband materials, and the photofission inspection system was deployed to detect Special Nuclear Material (SNM), thanks to a 7 MeV mobile accelerator - instead of a 9 MeV fixed installation as implemented in the preceding C-BORD project.
The trans-border control included a passive detection portal with a new fast RPM system development tested up to 30km/h.
An original method to control high-density iron ore field cargo was achieved by combining three technologies: 1) Declared vs Mass Measurement Comparison (DMMC) in real time; 2) Scattered Radiation Imaging (SRI) in real time; 3) Muons Scattering Imaging in second line.
These technologies and tools will have a crucial impact with operators as they will allow them to avoid having to unload containers (or at least significantly reduce the need to), thus reducing the time for manual checking, and will of course also be useful for training purposes.
ENTRANCE results were presented to the community in a Final Conference held on November 16th in Paris, France. The project was also featured in the EU-organized Security Research Event 2023 in October 2023 in Brussels, Belgium.
As a concluding note, it must be highlighted that starting a project in the context of the COVID pandemic, and concluding it with success while a war is raging in Ukraine i.e. at Europe’s doors, made for a not unsignificant challenge. Overcoming this challenge required in some circumstances exceptional efforts from the project partners – efforts that were carried out steadfastly and commendably.
Customs authorities today are moving to systems that are more automated and integrated into the logistic flow where novel risk-assessment, ATR and NII techniques play an increasingly important role. ENTRANCE will represent an important and innovative step forward by taking a comprehensive approach where technologies are developed beyond the state of the art and combined to leverage their complementary strengths. ENTRANCE will implement self-contained technology components that can operate as system nodes that are compatible with a complete range of applications, and develop a beyond the state-of-the-art integrated toolbox for risk-based NII of cross-border cargo for more efficient detection of a larger number of threats and illegal goods, with higher levels of automation and minimal disturbance of flow.
ENTRANCE expects to ensure the take up of project results by continuously interacting with stakeholder groups, with a focus on the customs community and other relevant law enforcement agents, as well as to deliver technical and operational guidelines, recommendations and best practices and improve current data-driven risk assessment of EU customs.
ENTRANCE accomplishments should contribute to a better protection of the safety and financial interests of the EU and its citizens. ENTRANCE will also contribute to EU competitiveness in the global market for threat detection systems, by proposing several products/add-ons with new functionalities, new capabilities and enhanced performance beyond what is already available on the market – thus creating new business opportunities.
ENTRANCE expects to ensure the take up of project results by continuously interacting with stakeholder groups, with a focus on the customs community and other relevant law enforcement agents, as well as to deliver technical and operational guidelines, recommendations and best practices and improve current data-driven risk assessment of EU customs.
ENTRANCE accomplishments should contribute to a better protection of the safety and financial interests of the EU and its citizens. ENTRANCE will also contribute to EU competitiveness in the global market for threat detection systems, by proposing several products/add-ons with new functionalities, new capabilities and enhanced performance beyond what is already available on the market – thus creating new business opportunities.