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Port security center coming

It will join a new marine research firm, an aide to Rep. Young says.

By AARON SHAROCKMAN
Published January 3, 2007

ST. PETERSBURG — A marine research firm settling into St. Petersburg this week will be joined by a first-of-its-kind national center for port security, U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young’s chief of staff said Wednesday.

With the University of South Florida and private researcher SRI-St. Petersburg, the new center will help deliver sensor and imaging technology to ports around the nation and world, said Young’s top aide, Harry Glenn.

The National Center for Marine and Port Security will piggyback off the research already under way at USF’s College of Marine Sciences as well as the projects soon to start at SRI-St. Petersburg, which formally opened its office on Tuesday.

The technology enables security workers to scan deepwater port facilities almost instantaneously, and allows results to be stored for future reference. USF’s sensor systems were used at last year’s Super Bowl in Jacksonville and in New York during the 2004 Republican National Convection, officials said.

Now ports across the country are clamoring for the technology on a permanent basis, Glenn said.

Last month, Young said USF will receive a $7.3-million government earmark to develop marine sensors for port security.

That money, Glenn said Wednesday, is specifically targeted to launch the national port security center.

“Mr. Young realizes there is a great need and desire for this technology,” Glenn said. “He’s heard it over and over again.”

The center’s central mission will be to coordinate the research and development between USF, SRI-St. Petersburg and other partners, said Jeff Muir, USF’s associate vice president for government relations.

Many details about how the partnership will work are still being worked out, said university and SRI officials. And it could be months until a formal announcement is made, said Larry Langebrake, the new director of SRI-St. Petersburg who had led the university’s Center for Ocean Technology.

The center will have offices built into SRI-St. Petersburg’s new 30,000-square-foot Port of St. Petersburg location, officials said. That facility, being built by the city using state and Pinellas County money, is expected to open in 2009.

“People should be excited,” Langebrake said. “People should know it’s coming.”

SRI-St. Petersburg, meanwhile, hopes to have about 40 employees working out of university space by the end of January.

The not-for-profit company, which will receive $30-million in state and local funds, has promised 100 jobs within five years as well $12.8-million in patent royalties that will be contributed to a state marine research fund.

Aaron Sharockman can be reached at asharockman@sptimes.com or (727) 892-2273.

[Last modified January 3, 2007, 21:50:03]