INTERNATIONAL SHIP AND PORT FACILITY SECURITY CODE
(ISPS) WORKSHOP HELD IN JAMAICA
July 10, 2003
Pembroke
Pines, FL. (July 10, 2003) - The island of Jamaica was the setting
for a two-day workshop focused on the implementation of new international
security requirements for cruise ship ports. The workshop, sponsored
by the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), the International
Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL) and the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association
(FCCA) was held June 25-27, 2003 at the Grand Lido Resort in Negril.
The 100 plus participants, consisting of representatives from 24 destinations
including the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Canada, Mexico, Central and South
America, were given an in-depth overview of the International Ship
and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) required by the International
Maritime Organization (IMO). The ISPS Code provides standardized security
measures that will be required at all ports effective July 2004, in
response to stringent security levels imposed following the tragic
events of September 11, 2001.
The measures are designed to strengthen maritime security and prevent
and suppress acts of terrorism against shipping. The code ensures the
security of ships and port facilities and provides a standardized,
consistent framework for evaluating risk, enabling governments to offset
changes in threat with changes in vulnerability for ships and port
facilities.
The workshop covered a variety of critical concerns including port
security assessment plans and ship/port interface issues. Topics touched
on a number of important areas detailing the proper training needed
to ensure that requirements are met and to form the international framework
by which ships and port facilities can work together to detect and
deter acts, which threaten security.
The Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Honorable P.J. Patterson delivered
the keynote address, followed by an impressive roster of guest speakers
who shared their expertise in the field of Security. The sessions consisted
of presentations by the panelists along with an interactive open forum,
including question and answer periods and training exercises.
The next step will be for destinations to analyze their own implementation
of the codes and discuss problems and accomplishments at the FCCA Caribbean
Cruise Conference and Trade Show taking place in St. Maarten, October
7-10, 2003.
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