Page 15: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (December 2002)

Government Update

Enhanced Crewmember

Identification

Crewmembers on vessels calling at

U.S. ports will be required to carry and present on demand an identification cre- dential acceptable to the U.S. Coast

Guard. It is anticipated that a mariner's identification card issued under stan- dards being developed by the Interna- tional Labor Organization (ILO) would meet this requirement. If an internation- al agreement providing for a uniform, comprehensive, international system of identification for seafarers is not negoti- ated within 24 months following pas- sage of this measure, the Secretary is to present to Congress a draft bill that would establish a uniform, comprehen- sive system of identification for seafar- ers. The relationship between enhanced crewmember identification and Trans- portation Security Cards is not yet clear.

Grants

The maritime security grant program would be made permanent (subject, of course, to funding). Grants would be administered by the Maritime Adminis- trator and available to port authorities, facility operators, and state and local agencies required to provide security services or funds to implement provi- sions of Area Maritime Security Plans or facility security plans. Costs that could be funded under these grants include conducting vulnerability assessments, acquiring and operating security equip- ment, and costs associated with correc- tion of Coast Guard-identified security shortfalls. Funding levels for the grant program have not been resolved. While on-shore facility owners and operators have at least some hope that grant funds will offset the cost of mandated security upgrades, vessel owners and operators are again left holding the bag. The Act provides no grant monies for the costs of ship security upgrades. Container upgrades alone could cost hundreds of dollars per unit - and there are thousands and thousands of containers. Mean- while, the failure of Congress to enact appropriations legislation has delayed funding of any new grants until at least

April 2003.

Foreign Port Assessments

The Secretary has been tasked with assessing the effectiveness of antiterror- ism measures maintained at foreign ports from which vessels depart on voy- ages to the United States or that other- wise present a security risk to interna- tional maritime commerce. Factors to be considered in the assessment include screening and security measures in place at the port, licensing or certification of compliance with appropriate security standards (which would appear to mean standards developed by IMO), and the security management program of the port. If the Secretary finds that a foreign port does not maintain effective antiter- rorism measures, the Secretary is to notify the country of the finding and rec- ommend steps to improve the antiterror- ism measures at the port. The Secretary may also prescribe conditions of entry into the United States for any vessel arriving from that port or carrying any cargo or passengers originating from or transshipped through that port. The con- ditions of entry could be imposed 90 days after the foreign government has been notified of the finding that the port does not maintain effective antiterrorism measures (unless the Secretary finds that such measures have be adequately improved). The conditions of entry could be imposed immediately if the

Secretary determines that the threat is severe. In extreme situations, the Secre- i mi!"""

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Builder the experienced L.J UIIU ^ I of successful ships

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Marketing and sales

RO.Box 132, FIN-00151 HELSINKI,

Finland

Tel. +358 9 1941

Fax +358 9 650 051 [email protected] wtvw.masa-yards.fi

The subsidiary Piikkio Works produces prefabricated cabin and bathroom modules.

Kvaerner Masa Marine, Vancouver B.C., Canada and its affiliate company in Annapolis, Maryland, USA, are engaged in marine consulting engineering and marketing primarily in North America.

Kvaerner Masa-Yards offers creative design and production skills based on wide-ranging knowledge of the maritime business and professional ship production. It operates two highly modern newbuilding yards,

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Kvaerner Masa-Yards Technology covers research and development, concept design and engineering services, shipyard and welding technology, after-sales services, and includes the Arctic Technology Centre (MARC) in

Helsinki and the Welding Technology unit in Turku.

December, 2002

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