Final testing has been completed on the new X-Ray Scanner at HM Customs to detect contraband on the docks.But the actual launch is now four weeks behind schedule and no firm date has been set for the opening.The City of Hamilton announced last month that the new entrance on Front Street opposite Court Street would “become operational on July 23” for tractor trailers and trucks entering and leaving the docks.A Government spokeswoman for the Procurement Office said: “The X-Ray Scanner Project is a high priority of the Government and it is anticipated that scanning will commence later this month.”But other sources suggest the new facility will not be opened before September because one of the holdups lies solely with the Department of Planning which issues occupancy permits.When contacted by The Royal Gazette, a Planning Department spokesman said he would check and respond later.Just before 5pm he sent an e-mail that said: “No comment. I respectfully suggest that this question be directed to the Ministry spokesperson,” he said.Acting Collector of Customs Lucinda Pearman referred this newspaper back to the Procurement Office. The Procurement Office resent the same statement issued to this newspaper on August 8.Head of Stevedoring Services Peter Aldrich said: “We are still waiting on instructions from the Corporation to move our operation because they are our landlords. As far as I know they only have partial permits.”Tractor trailer operators meanwhile, have expressed concerns about the planned layout of the new entrance, and the impact of the scanning process on the overall time it takes to collect containers.One driver with 30 years of trucking containers under his belt said: “We really don’t mind using the old entrance because it gives us more room, we don’t really know what the new layout is for the new entrance.“It looks like there may not be a lot of room to manoeuvre big tractor trailers, but until we get down there and see how its situated we can’t really say. The amount of time the new scanning procedures will take is our biggest concern.”The veteran trucker who asked not to be named said “turnaround time on the docks varies”.“I’m told when the new system goes into effect we will have to get out and stand at least ten feet away from the truck while the containers are scanned and move the truck once the container is cleared.“I’ve sat down there on the docks for over an hour just for one container and when there are container ships in port sometimes it can take a bit longer. They used to have a clerk on site who issued the necessary forms as well, that worker is no longer on that post.“How the new system will work only time will tell,” he said. When asked if he felt the new scanner was necessary, he replied: “It depends on what they’re looking for, our job is to pick up and deliver, what’s in the containers is of no concern to us.“All I can say is we guys do our job, and we do have deadlines to meet. We have quotas that we’d like to stick to, all I want to know is how long will this new scanning process take for us to get in and get out.“Either way I’m hearing that we won’t know for a while yet, because I hear it won’t go online until sometime in September.”At Stevedoring Services Mr Aldrich said: “The company decided to go paperless three months ago which is why there is no longer a clerk stationed to process documents. We handle 50,000 less pieces of paper annually.”On the concerns raised by truckers he said meetings were with trucking companies on the new procedures for the container delivery area.“We have two peak periods one at 8am and the other at 1pm, generally there is a line which is gone within 30 minutes.“The turn around time has been reduced by five to ten minutes but if you want to know how long the scanning process will take you will have to go ask Customs, all that is handled on their side.“Our service levels will be the same or better the other part is out of our hands. We handle 60 to 80 containers a day, but volumes are down. We hardly move what we moved in 2008, this month its down to 75 a day,” he added.Mr Aldrich also noted that Stevedoring Services worked with The City of Hamilton “on the design of the new gate and the layout on the dock”.“There has been a vast improvement and we don’t anticipate any issues because there is much more room at the new gate for vehicles to manoeuvre.”Six parking spaces on the north side of Front Street between Court and King Streets were also removed last month, when new parking restrictions went into effect. The bus stop outside Custom House was also removed a few months ago.In July 2011 National Security Minister Wayne Perinchief announced the equipment would be operational in January of this year.The original completion date was supposed to be April 2011.