Marine Security Advisory: 02/2017 - U.S. Coast Guard Revises Security Advisory Regarding Ports Not Maintaining Effective Anti-Terrorism Measures

14 April 2017

Marine Security Advisory: 02/2017

(This Advisory supersedes Marine Security Advisory 1/2016)

Subject: U.S. Coast Guard Revises Security Advisory Regarding Ports Not Maintaining Effective Anti-Terrorism Measures

Reference: (a) USCG Port Security Advisory (1-17) – ATTACHED

Dear Shipowner/Operator/Master of Liberian flagged vessels;

Update:

The U.S. Coast Guard has issued the attached Port Security Advisory (1-17). In Port Security Advisory 1-17 the US Coast Guard has determined that Nauru is not maintaining effective anti-terrorism measures in all of its ports. Actions required as listed in paragraphs C and D of this Port Security Advisory take effect for vessels that arrive in the United States upon on or after April 14, 2017, after visiting ports in Nauru as one of their last five ports of call.

All vessels that visited the countries/facilities listed in paragraph B of the USCG Advisory (with exceptions noted) during their last five port calls will be boarded or examined at sea by the Coast Guard to ensure required actions were taken. Failure to properly implement the actions listed in paragraph C.1 through C.5 of the attached advisory may result in delay or denial of entry into the United States.

Vessel security actions:

Effective immediately ALL Liberian registered vessels while in ports of the countries noted in the attached USCG Port Security Advisory (1-17) shall:

1. Implement measures as per the ship’s security plan equivalent to Security Level 2 and
2. Take the required actions listed in section C of the attached advisory including attempting to execute a Declaration of Security (DOS).

Reminder: No vessel shall operate at a Security Level lower than that of a port facility. Additionally, the Master has the overriding authority to increase the Security Measures of the vessel at any time to protect the safety and security of the vessel.

For more information please contact the Security Department at telephone + 1 703 790 3434, email security@liscr.com; LISCR Duty Officer + 1 703 963 6216, email dutyofficer@liscr.com

* * * * *

Date: 31 March 2017

Contact: Ms. Juliet Hudson

(202) 372-1173

Port Security Advisory (1-17)

1. Background:

The Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (MTSA) has mandated that the United States Coast Guard evaluate the effectiveness of anti-terrorism measures in foreign ports and provides for the imposition of conditions of entry on vessels arriving to the United States from countries that do not maintain effective anti-terrorism measures (MTSA, 46 U.S.C. §§ 70108 - 70110).

The Coast Guard has determined that Nauru is not maintaining effective anti-terrorism measures in all of its ports. Actions required as listed in paragraphs C and D of this Port Security Advisory take effect for vessels that arrive in the United States upon on or after April 14, 2017, after visiting ports in Nauru as one of their last five ports of call.

1. Countries Affected:

The Coast Guard has determined that ports in the following countries are not maintaining effective antiterrorism measures:

Cambodia Cameroon

Comoros Cote d’ Ivoire Equatorial Guinea

-More-

Equatorial Guinea (cont’d)

The Gambia Guinea-Bissau Iran Liberia

Libya

Note: Vessels are also advised to proceed with extreme caution when approaching all Libyan oil terminals, particularly in eastern Libya, due to potential violent and criminal activity based upon recent attempts by armed, non-state actors to engage in illicit export of oil. UN Security Council Resolution 2146 authorizes the UN Sanctions Committee to impose certain measures on vessels attempting to illicitly export crude oil from Libya. This resolution imposes several restrictions regarding loading, transporting, or discharging crude oil from Libya which may include the possible denial of port entry. Further information regarding the UN Security Council Resolution can be found at:

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2014/sc11325.doc.htm

Madagascar

-More-

Sao Tome and Principe Syria Timor-Leste Venezuela Yemen

C. Actions Required by Vessels Visiting Countries Affected:

All vessels arriving to the United States that visited the countries listed in paragraph B (with exceptions noted) during their last five port calls must take actions 1 through 5 listed below while in the countries listed in paragraph B as a condition of entry into U.S. ports:

1. Implement measures per the ship’s security plan equivalent to Security Level 2;

1. Ensure that each access point to the ship is guarded and that the guards have total visibility of the exterior (both landside and waterside) of the vessel. Guards may be:

• • provided by the ship’s crew, however, additional crewmembers should be placed on the ship if necessary to ensure that limits on maximum hours of work are not exceeded and/or minimum hours of rest are met, or

• • provided by outside security forces approved by the ship’s master and Company Security Officer.

1. Attempt to execute a Declaration of Security;

-More-

1. Log all security actions in the ship’s security records; and

1. Report actions taken to the cognizant U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port prior to arrival in the U.S.

Vessels that visited the countries listed in paragraph B (with exceptions noted) on or after the effective date in paragraph A, during their last five port calls will be boarded or examined by the Coast Guard to ensure the vessel took the required actions. Failure to properly implement the actions listed in paragraph C.1 through C.5 may result in delay or denial of entry into the United States.

D. Actions Required by Vessels in U.S. Ports:

Based on the findings of the Coast Guard boarding or examination, the vessels that visited the countries listed in paragraph B (with exceptions noted) on or after the effective date in paragraph A may be required to ensure that each access point to the ship is guarded by armed security guards and that they have total visibility of the exterior (both landside and waterside) of the vessel while in U.S. ports. The number and location of the guards must be acceptable to the cognizant U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port. For those vessels that have demonstrated good security compliance and can document that they took the measures called for in C.1. through C.4. above, the armed security guard requirement will normally be waived.

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