Lufthansa Cargo is adding technology at every destination it serves in the United States to beef up security and scan cargo ahead of the schedule set by the federal government.

The carrier will install explosive trace detection systems by this fall at its facilities in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Miami, Houston, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Atlanta, Seattle, Los Angeles, Denver, San Francisco, Newark, N.J., Detroit, Mich., Charlotte, N.C., Orlando, Fla., and Portland, Ore.

In 2007, Congress mandated that within three years, all cargo transported on passenger aircraft must be 100 percent screened. The regulation is to be implemented in phases: 50 per cent of all shipments must be checked by February 2009 and all shipments by August 2010. Already today freight from unknown shippers is subjected to complete controls.

"By implementing the regulation ahead of schedule, we are already guaranteeing the highest security standards this year," said Harald Zielinski, security chief at Lufthansa Cargo. The company expects to invest "in the single-digit million Euros," Zielinski said.

The two bases at Chicago and Los Angeles will be designated as "Security Hubs" with extra security, including physical access barriers, comprehensive video surveillance, the use of explosive detection equipment, biometric checks and security guard patrols. Lufthansa Cargo has already converted its bases in Frankfurt, Munich, New York and Shanghai into Security Hubs.