A system for rapid, secure transport of cargo by sea includes a monohull fast ship and an arrangement for loading and unloading cargo through an opening in the stern of the ship and along a driving surface of a cargo carrying deck of the ship. The arrangement includes a self-propelled, automatically guided vehicle for carrying cargo to be transported during loading and unloading of the ship and a self-contained security scanning system on the vehicle for maintaining control and surveillance of cargo in transit on the vehicle. The ship includes a reader grid of ship communication system on the cargo carrying deck to which continued control and surveillance of the cargo can be handed off from the vehicle scanning system.