Smart Container Alliance
In response to the growing challenges of illicit trade and supply chain security, the Smart Container Alliance has been created to drive the adoption of cutting-edge IoT technologies in the transport of containers from sensitive areas.
ID: 916735597005-12
Lobbying Activity
Meeting with Mari Hamalainen (Cabinet of Commissioner Magnus Brunner)
11 Dec 2025 · The role of smart container technology in the implementation of the priorities of the EU Drugs Strategy and the upcoming EU Ports Strategy
Response to EU Drugs Strategy and European Action Plan Against Drug Trafficking
26 Sept 2025
This is a fact: criminal groups exploit the global containerised supply chain, leveraging fragmented governance and the anonymity of containerised shipping to outpace traditional enforcement techniques. Agencies are stretched thin, with resource-intensive inspections yielding diminishing returns as traffickers employ ever-more sophisticated concealment methods. Risk-based inspections reach a minority of containers, and even with incremental investments in scanning and controls, criminals have adapted. In 2023 alone, 2,275 tonnes of cocaine were seized worldwide, a rise of 68% compared to 2019. At the same time, pure cocaine production rose by 34% between 2022 and 2023. This alarming trend illustrates the unprecedented scale and pace of trafficking. Addressing these challenges is urgent, yet enforcement agencies and customs authorities often face a lack of resources. Nevertheless, market-available solutions offer a proven pathway to amplify EU efforts against illicit trafficking. In response to the growing challenges of illicit trade and supply chain security, the Smart Container Alliance has been created to drive the adoption of cutting-edge IoT technologies in the transport of containers from sensitive areas. We unite industry leaders in a joint effort to improve cargo traceability, strengthen maritime trade and assist global enforcement agencies in the fight against criminal networks. Our response highlights actionable evidence and the impact of deploying smart, technology-enabled solutions to counteract drug-facilitated organised crime.
Read full responseResponse to EU Ports Strategy
28 Jul 2025
The Smart Container Alliance welcomes the Commissions initiative to develop an EU Ports Strategy and strongly supports the inclusion of a dedicated pillar on security and the fight against illicit trade. This effort is timely, coinciding with the revision of EU Customs rules and growing concerns over the infiltration of EU ports by organised crime networks, particularly via maritime containers. European ports are critical to trade and economic resilience but increasingly vulnerable to illicit trafficking and criminal infiltration. Traditional inspection resources are overstretched, and criminals exploit complex, anonymized logistics chains, fragmented data systems, and gaps in physical and digital infrastructure. Insider threats and corruption further compound these challenges. We urge the Commission to recognize the transformative potential of smart containers and devices as essential tools for modern port security. These technologies offer end-to-end, tamper-proof monitoring, real-time alerts, and automated breach detectionempowering authorities to intervene promptly while ensuring minimal trade disruption. By generating actionable, geolocated intelligence, smart devices optimize the use of scarce enforcement resources and support robust evidence collection. The EU Ports Strategy should: - Integrate smart surveillance solutions as part of standard port security practices; - Promote open, interoperable standards for smart device technologies; - Incentivize deployment on high-risk container flows; - Leverage the European Ports Alliance as a platform for public-private collaboration. We stand ready to support this effort and encourage the Commission to embed digital innovation at the core of Europes fight against illicit trade through ports.
Read full responseResponse to New rules on fighting organised crime
16 Jul 2025
Contribution to the Commissions Call for Evidence: Advancing the Fight Against Drugs and Illicit Trafficking through Proven Technological Solutions Organised crimefuelled heavily by drug traffickingremains one of the most urgent cross-border threats facing the European Union. The increased use of maritime containers as vectors for large-scale drug smuggling presents complex challenges for enforcement and customs authorities, who often operate under resource constraints. Meanwhile, criminal networks continue to exploit vulnerabilities in the containerised global supply chain, utilising its opacity and complexity to avoid detection. The Smart Container Alliance, a coalition of industry leaders, has been established in direct response to these challenges. We advocate for the widespread adoption of Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled smart container technologies, which offer proven, market-ready solutions that reinforce supply chain integrity, improve enforcement efficiency, and increase the traceability of containerised cargo. Current Threat Landscape and Enforcement Limitations The 2025 European Drug Report issued by EUDA underscores a worrying trend: drug trafficking through maritime containers is rising, while detection remains limited. Recent pilot projects conducted by members of the Smart Container Alliance, in coordination with customs authorities, to huge seizure of drugs. However, this represents only a small fractionestimated at less than 10%of the actual volume trafficked. Traditional risk-based inspections and manual scanning efforts have limited scope and are increasingly outpaced by traffickers sophisticated concealment tactics. Smart Container Technologies: A Proven Path Forward The answer lies in smart containerisationa modern, scalable, and field-tested solution that directly addresses current enforcement gaps. Smart containers, equipped with smart devices, enable : real-time tracking of container location and status ; continuous monitoring of door openings and environmental changes, and immediate alerts when unusual or unauthorised activity is detected. Through contextual data analysis and machine learning, these systems differentiate between routine handling and potential threats, thereby allowing enforcement agencies to target their inspections more accurately. This not only amplifies the reach of limited personnel and resources, but also enhances response times and operational precision. The Smart Container Alliance has compiled extensive evidence showing how technology-driven targeting improves interception rates, reduces false positives, and strengthens deterrence. The economic benefits to legitimate businessesincluding reduced fraud, faster customs clearance, and lower insurance risksalso reinforce the case for adoption. As the EU prepares its next strategy to counter drug trafficking and organised crime, we invite the European Commision to promote the widespread deployment of smart container technologies on high-risk trades and shipping routes. Incentiveswhether regulatory, financial, or through public-private partnershipscan accelerate adoption.
Read full response