THE REGIONAL shipping community has been warned that the July 1, 2004 deadline for certification under the International Ships and Port Facilities Security (ISPS) Code will not be extended, and they should ensure that all requirements are in place ahead of that date.
The warning came from Rear Admiral Peter Brady of the Maritime Authority of Jamaica, who was speaking on behalf of Frank Wall, Chairman of the International Maritime Organisation Maritime Security Working Group. Admiral Brady is the IMO representative in Jamaica.
He was addressing delegates at the 33rd Caribbean Shipping Association Annual General Meeting, Conference and Exhibition, at the Half Moon Hotel in Montego Bay, St. James.
Speaking on the ISPS Code, Rear Admiral said it sought to provide the framework for governments to implement measures to reduce security risks at ports and aboard vessels. He gave a detailed overview of the Code and the requirements for countries worldwide.
PERSONNEL
Under the ISPS Code, which will apply to 50,000 ships and 1,500 port facilities globally, national authorities are required to designate competent personnel, including a Ship Security Officer and Port Facility Security Officer, and implement aspects of an approved security plans before being certified.
Turning to the control measures, Rear Admiral said ships are required to provide advance information when necessary including details of the last 10 ports visited and are subject to Port State Control inspections.
"Control measures may include detention, suspension of operations, denial of entry into port, expulsion from port, denial of entry or expulsion only if the ship poses an imminent security threat," he said, pointing out that compensation may be claimed for inappropriate action by control authorities.
In outlining the consequences of not becoming ISPS compliant by July 2004, Rebecca Kimbrell Patrick, Political and Economic Officer of the United States Embassy in Kingston, stressed that failure to comply could be "deadly for a country's livelihood".
"Those countries, ships and ports that are compliant will not 'play' with those that are not", she stated, adding that security mandated changes are not designed to wreak havoc on businesses. Instead, she said, the security measures were designed to meet the demands of the new age where terrorism posed "a very real and ongoing threat to people".
COMPLIANCE
"Therefore, it is essential not to underestimate the importance of full ISPS compliance for your business and industry," Mrs Kimbrell Partrick emphasised, noting that American investors would consider very carefully how countries respond to international organised crime and terrorism.
Noting that the US was interested in helping to secure the sustainability of the Caribbean regional economy, she said the US government was working actively with governments throughout the Caribbean to ensure adequate preparation to deal with the threat of terrorism and organised
crime.
"Economic weakness is a
danger not only to your countries, but to the US as well. Depressed economies can become a source of illegal migrants, political unrest, and eventually terrorism and other serious crimes, " she warned, reiterating the need for the region's facilities to become ISPS compliant.
She spoke highly of the work underway in Jamaica to achieve this status and encouraged other countries to emulate this level of preparedness.
"...time is of the essence. The first to cross the certification line will inevitably be the first to draw the attention of those wishing to or currently conducting maritime trade in the region," she said.
Among the necessary actions, she said work must be done to gather, assess and exchange threat intelligence to develop a security assessment; establish communications protocols and appoint key personnel; limit access to ports and terminals; prevent introduction of illegal materials including weapons and explosives; establish security reaction protocols; require port and ship security plans based on security assessments.
Acknowledging that the process might seem daunting, she expressed confidence in the region's commitment to remain competitive and she noted that "insuring the integrity of Caribbean's shipping and port systems is clearly a subject of mutual interest".
