2006 Miami Conference

Reports

MARITIME SECURITY: IMPLEMENTING A REGION WIDE INITIATIVE
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2006
10:00 AM -12:30 PM

Moderators: Kim Petersen, President, CEO, Mobius Security Group

Discussants: Captain Suzanne Englebert, USCG; O’Neil D. Hamilton, CARICOM Ministerial Subcommittee on Resource Mobilization for Crime & Security; Captain (Ret) James Maes, Port of Miami; Thomas Morelli, Thomas Morelli LLC Maritime Security Consultancy Services; Everton Walters, Port Managers Association of the Caribbean; Al Westerman, HPA LLC; Emma Zuniga, Empresa Nacional Portuaria

The Context:
Caribbean Basin countries have implemented processes to ensure compliance with the ISPS Code, but many continue to lag in terms of their ability to ensure a secure supply chain. As a result, Maritime Security in the region continues to be of concern to governments and the commercial sector alike, most notably to our major trading partners.

Challenge:

How can smaller ports mobilize resources, both financial and human, to improve security and respond to potential threats?
Isn’t it time for the creation of regional standards?
Have we moved any closer to establishing a Caribbean Basin Ports Council that would support public and private sector programming?
Who are the key players needed for success and what are the critical actions required in the short-term?
How can we ensure regional compliance?
Are all parts of the supply chain being effectively trained or have we ignored key groups?
What are the regional lessons learned and best practices that can be applied quickly to ports that are falling behind?

Points and comments brought up in the session –
It is imperative that regional Governments do better to get their countries to achieve security goals. Such goals cannot be reached without key partners, not only the US, but also the UK (with whom several countries have close relationships) and other countries. These nations have experience managing security issues and are examples that can be followed in the region.

Regional Standards for logistics, transportations and security must be developed, adapting what is being implemented outside the region, to the needs and capacity of the regional ports. Benefits of regional strategy for participating countries, include:

Organizing framework and method for guiding cooperative implementation of a regional initiative
Synergies for private sector and government stakeholders
Coordinates priorities of governmental and private industry
Determine desired outcomes
Define objectives and sustainable means
Organize implementation processes
Capacity and confidence building measures
Share common and advanced capabilities
Reduce systemic vulnerabilities of the Marine Intermodal Supply Chain to transnational security threats across the region
Reduce operating costs through an integrated approach
Increase success-potential of the Initiative.

CSI, CTPAT, and other standards should be applied to the region, and are key ports are already CSI certified in the region: Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Guatemala

Case studies discussed included:

Dominican Republic, who created through a special Presidential Decree a specialized body which dealt with security issues. The Dominican Republic took the Navy and the Army and created a security force that worked at the ports, reducing by 80% the illegal use of those ports. In addition, the government partnered with the local private sector to implement security
measures.
Porto Cortes, Honduras, which is CSI certified, where 100% of incoming and outgoing containers are being checked. Challenges include keeping security measures tight, as the port considers expansion.
Guatemala

Security threat information sharing is an important component of maritime security in the region and efforts should be made to improve the mechanisms for gathering and sharing this information regionally. There are no specific guidelines to attach to potential threats in each country, however, creating a homogenous system of security standards for the region would make addressing the
threats more efficient.

The lack of financial resources available are a large problem in implementing security measures in the region. Financial resources should focus on training a guard force, but also focus on the intelligence gathering and information sharing with the countries in the basin. All countries need to work towards this.

There has not been a demand on Cargo vessels to create and intensify security at the ports because the cost has been higher for cargo vessels than for the ports.

Recommendations made:
Forget that we are competitors—rather consider that we are PARTNERS in the region

Regional actors should know exactly where they stand today and have a precise idea of where they are going in the short and medium term. It is time to act,

Overall standards exist, and are the framework to be used when creating regional standards. Take regional best practices, and implement them at the local ports. Tap into the US Coast Guard, as they are an important player in the implementation of ISPS code regulations and security management in the region.

To address financial resource issue, create a regional purchasing consortium to procure x-ray machines, access control equipment, and other security equipment. The consortium would make acquiring the materials and equipment less expensive, and therefore more affordable to the smaller economies in the region; maintenance costs could be lowered as well, as the supplier would have a larger market to address. A regional consortium could combine private and government funds, and access to the funds would require that regional standards be implemented, and that port security equipment needs be detailed.

Set up regional training hubs: training hubs would make access to training less expensive for the smaller economies in the regiontravel time could be reduced and specific regional problems can be addressed. Organizing a Caribbean Port Security Regional
Training Center would focus:

Capacity building on a regional scale requires commitment to training capabilities sustained over a multi-year period and supported with adequate facilities and resources.
Appropriate seminar formats would be conducted for mid-level officers with responsibilities for managing port security programs and staffs, as well as senior officials on policy and strategy matters

It is imperative to also conduct effective training for all parts of the supply chain, including the Port Security Policy stakeholders. A Port Security Policy Training for Senior Officials should focus on the policy and strategy level responsibilities of senior officials, making their roles vitally important to the success of port security programs at the country and facility levels.

Establish a Caribbean Basin Maritime Security Alliance (CBMSA) as an operational entity to coordinate the discussions, planning, and implementation of a regional security initiative, which would focus on a Regional Strategy that will motivate national action:

Anticipate New Dimensions Resulting from the Regional Initiative
Each country will recognize the need for a tailored national strategy
However, regional and national strategies can be developed concurrently, and coordinated to ensure interoperability.

Caribbean Basin Ports Council could be formed to support public-private programming. Its role would be to:

Conduct strategic communication with government to engage in periodic dialogue on regional maritime and border security threats;
Strengthen international relationships to cooperatively support the region wide initiative;
Improve and develop information sharing networks and mechanisms that enable corporate security departments to share information in confidence with law enforcement agencies
Evaluate the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies in reducing the security threats to the Marine Intermodal Supply Chain.; and
Engage commercial industry partners in a forum of candid dialogue for the exchange of information regarding:
- Oversight, measurement, and progress of the initiative, and
- Improved private industry collaboration with government.

Key players needed for success and what critical short-term actions are required.

Customs administrations and the national police are of utmost importance to threat reduction efforts -- improvement in their functional relationship is a priority.
Consider the emerging roles of the armed forces in commercial maritime security in the context of implementing a maritime security region-wide initiative.
Encourage private port users, cargo and transport companies to support ISPS and other efforts, and encourage their participation on the Port Council or Maritime Security working groups, making them important stakeholders in the process.