The president of the Montreal’s longshoremen union is sounding the alarm over new rules he says are putting the port at risk.

Of the 2,500 trucks that come through the port every day, Albert Batten said as many as 1,200 are now able to leave the facility without inspection.

New rules were implemented in September by Montreal Gateway Terminals, a company that rents two terminals from the port. Under those rules, truck drivers can now refuse a visual check but will be held liable if the container is not delivered in good shape or is missing goods.

Batten said while visual checks were meant to ensure containers were empty and not damaged, they were in practice another security check.

“When you’re talking about people having to take off their shoes and belts at airports, but we’re willing to let 20 or 40-foot empty containers leave without being visually inspected,” he said. “If the doors are open at some point in transit, anything could be put in there.”

A spokesperson for the port told CTV Montreal that everything possible is being done to keep the port safe and refused to comment further, saying Batten’s concerns are a labour relations issue.