Unconstrained by jurisdictional constraints or national borders, criminal organizations are exploiting weak security in seaports and their intermodal connections to commit a wide range of cargo crimes. Levels of containerized cargo volumes are forecasted to increase significantly, which will create more opportunities for crime while lowering the statistical risk of detection and interdiction. The large number of U.S. citizens sailing on international cruises provides an attractive target to terrorists seeking to cause mass casualties. Approximately 80 percent of cruise line passengers are U.S. citizens and 20 percent are aliens. Approximately 92 percent of crewmembers are aliens.
Cruise ships pose a special risk from a security perspective.
The worldwide cruise ship fleet will carry nearly 10 million cruise passengers this year. Cruise ship terminals must be secure to prevent unauthorized people from gaining access to the area. U.S. Coast Guard regulations exist that specify minimum security standards to which cruise ship lines must adhere to in order to adequately protect passengers from terrorist attacks. These regulations apply only to large cruise ships on international voyages. Security programs in these sectors are voluntary.