Press Release

Date: Sept. 10, 2004

COAST GUARD ISSUES LIST OF COUNTRIES THAT HAVE NOT REPORTED FULL COMPLIANCE WITH NEW INTERNATIONAL PORT SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Coast Guard alerted the maritime community today that it has concerns about the security of ports in 17 countries because those countries have failed to report compliance with new international port security requirements.

The Coast Guard will be targeting vessels for increased boardings when arriving in U.S. ports if they have visited one of those countries during their last five port calls.

“Shipping is a global industry,” said Adm. Thomas Collins, commandant of the Coast Guard. “In order for us to protect our ports, we must be concerned about the security of the entire shipping chain, including ports overseas.”

“We strongly encourage all nations to take steps to protect their ports,” he said. “Terrorism is a global problem, and an attack on any country’s ports could have a significant impact on their economy.”

Countries were required to provide the International Maritime Organization information about their ports’ compliance with new international security requirements by July 1. The Coast Guard has a range of concerns about the information reported from these 17 countries, including reports that they are not in full compliance, incomplete reports, or no reports at all.

“Right now, we are relying on countries to report the actions they have taken to increase security in their ports,” Collins said. “Over the next three years, we plan to visit 135 countries around the world to share and align our security practices. We will use that information to help us make decisions about security for vessels arriving here. In the meantime, it is vital that countries report this information so that all countries can take proper steps to protect their ports.”

The Coast Guard recommends that vessels calling on ports in these countries take several steps to protect themselves, which the Coast Guard will take into consideration when making decisions about boardings and other port state control actions. Those steps include setting a higher security condition, in keeping with their vessel security plans; executing a declaration of security that details specific security arrangements between the vessel and the port facility; logging their actions and reporting those actions to the Coast Guard Captain of the Port prior to arrival in the United States.

The port security advisory issued to the maritime community and list of countries can be viewed at: http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/mp/mapipsp.html.

Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard
Contact: Jolie Shifflet
(202) 267-2304