Caribbean Port Security Readiness Audit ~ Eastern Caribbean States
Overview
The terrorist events of 9/11 resulted in the promulgation of international standards for the security of seaports and vessels engaged in international commerce. These standards seek to mitigate the risk of terrorist and criminal threats to the physical, commercial, and political well being of these ‘engines of commerce.’ In December 2002, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) established the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code, defining standards for security of maritime facilities and ships, and mandating certification of compliance by 1 July 2004. The US version of the ISPS Code is the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (MTSA). Failure of ports, vessels, and companies engaged in international maritime commerce to achieve the specified compliance standards will result in sanctions that include fines, delay of vessel entry into ports of call, or even denial of vessel entry into ports of call. As a result, enforcement of ISPS Code requirements could have an adverse effect on the intended results of FTAA and CAFTA agreements, and produce a negative cascade effect on the economies of Caribbean Basin nations with non-compliant ports. In February 2004, USAID requested that CARANA review and support a proposal by Caribbean Central American Action (CCAA) to provide technical assistance on port security to the port authorities of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Specifically, CARANA provided matching funds to CCAA to contract Florida-based SeaSecure LLC to perform security assessments of the OECS Ports. Counterparts
Under this project, key counterparts included Caribbean Central American Action (CCAA), Sea Secure LLC, USAID/Washington and the following ports who received technical assistance: | Country | Port | | Barbados | Port of Bridgetown | | Antigua | St. John’s Port | | Barbuda | Codrington Port | | Dominica | Prince Rubert Bay/Portsmouth | | Roseau Port | | Woodbridge Bay Port | | Grenada | Port St. Georges | | Grenada Cruise Port (under construction) | | Montserrat | Plymouth Port | | St. Kitts | Port of Basseterre | | Saint Lucia | Port of Castries | | Port of Vieux Fort | | St. Vincent | Campden Park Container Port | | Kingstown Port & Cruise Terminal | Timeframe
This project was conducted from May to July, 2004. Activities
The Caribbean Port Security Readiness Audit included the following activities: | 1. Preliminary telephonic and e-mail liaison with port authority, pertinent law enforcement, and regulatory agencies. | | 2. Preliminary questionnaire regarding ISPS Code compliance steps to be completed by each port. | | 3. Onsite visit by SeaSecure senior maritime security auditing staff to perform: | | | a. Physical security familiarization survey of the port. | | | b. Review of the port’s ISPS Code mandated Port Facility Security Assessment (PFSA) and Port Facility Security Plan (PFSP) to determine qualitative sufficiency and preparedness to meet the ISPS Code implementation deadline of July 1, 2004. | | | c. Review of the port’s proposed personnel and information security programs in terms of future ISPS Code and MTSA compliance. | | | d. Review of the port’s projected risk mitigation compliance plan to determine adequacy and costs of: | | | | i. Required physical security infrastructure enhancements (e.g., fencing, lighting, access controls, CCTV). | | | | ii. Required personnel security enhancements (e.g., guard force personnel, Port Facility Security Officer, training and certification of applicable personnel, drills and exercises). | | | | iii. Required information security enhancements (e.g., policies and procedures for protecting sensitive information, availability of shredders, safes, encrypted communications, training). | | 4. Analysis of findings to determine: | | | a. Those ports in need of near-term assistance to complete PFSAs, PFSPs and training requirements in order to meet the compliance and certification requirements of the ISPS Code. | | | b. What assistance is required to prepare OECS Contracting Governments to evaluate PFSAs and PFSPs so as to issue Statements of Compliance in advance of the deadline, or Interim Statements of Compliance for ports that cannot fully implement their risk mitigation compliance plan by 1 July, to the IMO. | | | c. Approximate costs on a port-by-port basis, and for the region, for security enhancements necessary to fully achieve ISPS Code, and MTSA where applicable, compliance (including capital and recurring costs). | | | d. Issue a report of preliminary findings to the CBMSA Executive Committee. | | 5. Following receipt of feedback from the CBMSA Executive Committee, prepared a final report that included: | | | a. Executive Summary | | | b. Survey Findings | | | c. Recommendations | | | | i. Specific port compliance recommendations (by category per 3.d. above). | | | | ii. Recommendations for developing a regional approach to training and certifications for port security and Contracting Government maritime security personnel, per the ISPS Code. | | | | iii. Recommendations for OECS Contracting Governments with regard to developing a standardized regional approach to PFSA and PFSP approvals. | | | | iv. Recommendations on developing a purchasing consortium so as to leverage economies of scale in making capital improvements. | | | | v. Recommendations on establishing a regional approach to drills and exercises, per the ISPS Code. | | | d. Capital Requirements Estimate (by port and by region). | | | e. References Section (ISPS Code, the MTSA, and associated NVICs, etc.). | Results
The CARANA-CCAA-SeaSecure team successfully completed the port security assessments on time and in advance of the July 1, 2004 deadline for compliance. The final deliverables to each OECS port authority are of a classified nature, and therefore port specific results are not available. CARANA received copies of an affidavit from each port authority acknowledging receipt and general description (# pages, table of contents, etc) of the final reports. Relevant Documents
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Project Activities 
