Three House committee chairmen are urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to end reduced Coast Guard inspections for vessels operated by Chinese state-owned shipping giant COSCO, citing its ties to China’s military and allegations of espionage near U.S. coastlines.
In an Oct. 14 letter, Reps. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), and Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.) asked DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin to remove COSCO vessels from the Coast Guard’s Qualship 21 program.
The program rewards foreign commercial ships with strong safety and compliance records by allowing them to undergo fewer routine inspections at U.S. ports. Enrollment does not exempt ships from security checks or other law enforcement inspections….
Lawmakers Urge DHS to End Reduced Inspections for Vessels Run by Chinese Shipping Giant COSCO
