Chinese Government provides a RMB 30 million grant for container testing equipment for Port of Spain

Project narrative

On September 11, 2014, the Chinese government completed donations for special container inspection equipment to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. The purchase of the scanner was supported by a RMB 30 million grant from the Government of the People’s Republic of China on September 12, 2011. The equipment was the result of an October 31, 2013 contract signed by Trinidad and Tobago for the purchase of one scanner, which was originally slated to be provided by Tongfang Vision. The handover ceremony was held in the Port of Spain and allowed the handover of a fixed container scanner, which, according to the Guardian source, was installed at Port of Spain. Ambassador Huang Xingyuan and Stephan Cadiz signed the handover certificates on behalf of the two governments. Over 100 senior government officials attended the event. The Nuctech Linear Accelerator X-ray scanner and detection system will help the government of Trinidad and Tobago process cargo significantly faster, from 35 containers per day to 495 containers per day. The same article announced that four additional scanners would be implemented by the end of 2014. As of July 2017, the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian reported that use of the scanner is yet to commence due to the need to finalise maintenance and operational requirements. Additionally it reported that the project to acquire four additional scanners was shelved after the United States provided four refurbished scanners that were in the process of being implemented.