What is the purpose of the Container Security Initiative (CSI)?

The Container Security Initiative (CSI) is designed specifically to enhance security measures in international trade by identifying high-risk shipping containers at foreign ports before they reach U.S. shores. This initiative involves cooperation between U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and international ports to assess and manage potential security threats associated with containerized cargo. By focusing resources on high-risk freight, the CSI aims to prevent unlawful or unsafe materials from entering the U.S., thereby protecting national security while maintaining the flow of legitimate trade.

The other options do not accurately capture the primary focus of the CSI. While expediting the shipping process and reducing shipping costs are important goals in global trade, they are not the primary purposes of the initiative. The regulation of domestic shipping routes relates more to national transportation policies rather than international security, which is the core mission of the Container Security Initiative.