A new microscope at the Port of Wilmington could help streamline the inspection of imported produce and agricultural products.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) specialists will use a new Leica Microscope to inspect imported produce and agricultural commodities to ensure they don’t contain pests that could harm domestically grown plants and agriculture, according to a new release issued by N.C. Ports this week. CBP acquired the microscope in late September, and it was up and running at the port by early November. 

Before acquiring the microscope, detected specimens had to be shipped to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service office in Charleston, South Carolina, for identification. Now, the CBP personnel can use the microscope to take high-resolution images that can be electronically sent to USDA officials for same-day analysis and identification, cutting the process down from several days to several hours.

“This new piece of technology offers high-resolution imaging and rapid processing capabilities that allow for CBP frontline personnel to quickly and accurately identify and analyze specimens, reducing the time needed for adjudication,” CBP area port director Miguel Garza Jr. stated in the release. “By leveraging this advanced technology, CBP can streamline the inspectional process and support the facilitation of legitimate trade at the Port of Wilmington.”

In the release, N.C. Ports executive director Brian Clark said the technology would help process the range of produce that passes through the port. “Combined with our best-in-class productivity and trucker turn times, this new capability further establishes Wilmington as an optimal growth gateway for cold chain and ocean carrier expansion,” Clark added in the release.

N.C. Ports chief commercial officer Hans Bean underscored the microscope’s role in maximizing efficiency for the port, its customers and end consumers.

“Growing fresh produce imports for North Carolina grocery stores and consumers further unlocks North Carolina agriculture and life sciences exports because it positions the necessary equipment right here at this close-proximity gateway,” Bean stated in the release. “Ocean carriers can optimize equipment flows and maximize the use of their assets while serving their global customers by utilizing Wilmington, N.C.”

The microscope will help the port avoid bottlenecks and keep goods moving, which could make the Port of Wilmington more attractive for importers. The technology marks a step in the port’s “expanding role as a key mid-Atlantic cold chain gateway,” the release stated. The Port of Wilmington has focused on growing its cold chain capabilities in recent years.

Earlier this year, port officials announced several grocery retailers and distributors had identified Wilmington’s port as an alternative to some traditional cold chain gateways. That’s led to increased imports, including produce with established active programs like bananas, pineapples and blueberries, and new trial programs, including apples, melons and additional tropical fruits and vegetables.

The Wilmington area has also seen several investments in cold chain facilities catering to produce imports, including Cold Summit Development’s recently opened facility that provides 298,000 square feet of multi-suite cold storage space. Another 285,000-square-foot cold storage facility operated by Performance Team, a Maersk company, opened earlier this year in Pender Commerce Park.