Maritime Security
Maritime Security

Author: United States. Government Accountability Office

Publisher:

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 66

ISBN-13:

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To help secure the nation's ports against a terrorist attack, federal regulations have required cargo and other maritime facilities to have security plans in place since July 2004. U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) guidance calls for an annual inspection to ensure that plans are being followed. Federal law enacted in October 2006 required such facilities to be inspected two times a year one of which is to be conducted unannounced. The USCG plans to conduct one announced inspection and the other as a less comprehensive unannounced spot check. GAO examined the extent to which the USCG (1) has met inspection requirements and found facilities to be complying with their plans, (2) has determined the availability of trained personnel to meet current and future facility inspection requirements, and (3) has assessed the effectiveness of its facility inspection program and ensured that program compliance data collected and reported are reliable. GAO analyzed USCG compliance data, interviewed inspectors and other stakeholders in 7 of 35 USCG sectors of varying size, geographic location, and type of waterway. What the GAO recommends. GAO recommends the USCG reassess the number of inspection staff needed, compare varying approaches taken by local units in conducting inspections, and improve its facility compliance data. The Department of Homeland Security agreed with GAO's recommendations.

Maritime Security
Maritime Security

Author: Stephen L. Caldwell

Publisher: DIANE Publishing

Published: 2010-09

Total Pages: 52

ISBN-13: 1437933262

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Over 9 million passengers departed from U.S. ports on cruise ships in 2008, and according to agency officials, cruise ships are attractive terrorist targets. This report addresses the extent to which: (1) the Coast Guard, the lead federal agency on maritime security, assessed risk in accordance with the Dept. of Homeland Security's guidance and identified risks; and (2) federal agencies, cruise ship and facility operators, and law enforcement entities have taken actions to protect cruise ships and their facilities. The report reviewed relevant requirements and agency documents on maritime security, analyzed 2006 through 2008 security operations data, and made observations at seven ports. Includes recommendations. Charts and tables.

Port and Maritime Security
Port and Maritime Security

Author: Jonathon P. Vesky

Publisher: Nova Publishers

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 84

ISBN-13: 9781594547263

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The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 heightened awareness about the vulnerability to terrorist attack of all modes of transportation. Port security has emerged as a significant part of the overall debate on US homeland security. The overarching issues for Congress are providing oversight on current port security programs and making or responding to proposals to improve port security. The US maritime system consists of more than 300 sea and river ports with more than 3,700 cargo and passenger terminals. However, a large fraction of maritime cargo is concentrated at a few major ports. Most ships calling at US ports are foreign owned with foreign crews. Container ships have been the focus of much of the attention on seaport security because they are seen as vulnerable to terrorist infiltration. More than 9 million marine containers enter US ports each year. While the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) analyses cargo and other information to target specific shipments for closer inspection, it physically inspects only a small fraction of the containers. The Coast Guard and CBP are the federal agencies with the strongest presence in seaports. In response to September 11, 2001, the Coast Guard created the largest port-security operation since World War II. The Coast Guard has advanced its 24- hour Notice of Arrival (NOA) for ships to a 96-hour NOA. The NOA allows Coast Guard officials to select high risk ships for boarding upon their arrival at the entrance to a harbor. CBP has also advanced the timing of cargo information it receives from ocean carriers. Through the Container Security Initiative (CSI) program, CBP inspectors pre-screen U.S.-bound marine containers at foreign ports of loading. The Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) offers importers expedited processing of their cargo if they comply with CBP measures for securing their entire supply chain. To raise port security standards, Congress passed the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-295) in November 2002. The focus of debate in Congress has been about whether current efforts to improve port security are adequate in addressing the threat. While many agree that Coast Guard and CBP programs to address the threat are sound, they contend that these programs represent only a framework for building a maritime security regime, and that significant gaps in security still remain.