Coast Guard Establishes International Port Security Program to Evaluate Compliance with ISPS Code
The Coast Guard has announced the establishment of an International Port Security Program (security program) that will help it and its maritime trading partners facilitate the implementation of security improvements in ports around the world.
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Under the security program, the Coast Guard and host nations will work jointly to evaluate the countries' overall compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code), an international agreement signed in December 2002 that will enter into force on July 1, 2004.
The Coast Guard is also working closely with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to ensure that the security program, the Container Security Initiative (CSI) and other programs are developed and executed in harmony.
The Coast Guard states that it will begin the security program with visits to countries in the summer and fall of 2004, this program also calls for International Port Security Liaison Officers to be stationed around the world.
Both the traveling team and liaison officers will, among other things, meet with appropriate national authorities to discuss the nation's maritime security regime and its interpretation and implementation of ISPS Code, jointly visit representative ports within the country to view implementation, jointly verify with the host nation the effectiveness of the country's approval process for port facility and vessel security assessments and plans required under the ISPS Code, etc.
Coast Guard adds that vessels that make calls at countries that are not ISPS participants and are not in compliance with the requirements of the ISPS Code could be delayed when attempting to enter a U.S. port as a result of additional enforcement actions.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 04/21/04 news, 04042110, for BP summary of the Coast Guard's preparations for the July 1, 2004 implementation of the ISPS Code.)
Coast Guard Press Release (dated 04/15/04) available at http://www.uscg.mil/news/Headquarters/International%20Port%20Security%20Program.doc