TT: Local ports ISPS compliant

Local ports are now awaiting certification from the Coast Guard to confirm they are ready to meet Thursday’s deadline for the implementation of an international security code.

Officials at the Port Authority, which manages the Port-of-Spain and Scarborough ports, and the Pt Lisas Industrial Development Co port said the nation’s 14 ports should have received their certificates from the Coast Guard yesterday.

The International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code has been mandated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for all ports and ships in response to the perceived maritime threats in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in the United States.

The ISPS will take effect on July 1 and ships can by-pass ports not compliant with the code, which could result in millions of dollars in losses to port facilities.

The Coast Guard was responsible for inspecting the nation’s State-owned and private ports to see if they are ready for the ISPS.