What is the Container Security Initiative (CSI) designed to do?

The Container Security Initiative (CSI) is specifically designed to identify high-risk freight in foreign ports. This initiative aims to enhance the security of international trade by moving the security focus from U.S. borders to foreign ports where cargo is initially loaded. Through CSI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) works with foreign governments to identify and screen cargo containers that may pose a risk before they are shipped to the United States.

By engaging with international partners and utilizing advanced technology and risk assessment models, the initiative seeks to prevent any potential threats from reaching U.S. shores, thereby offering a proactive security measure. This approach is vital in safeguarding trade routes and ensuring that supply chains remain secure against various risks that could be associated with certain shipments.

The other options, although they may pertain to aspects of international trade and security, do not accurately define the primary purpose of the Container Security Initiative. Monitoring shipping costs, regulating container sizes, and facilitating international trade agreements are not the core objectives of CSI. Instead, they encompass broader logistics, policy, and economic aspects of global trade.