U.K. coastguard agency sets Jan. 31 deadline for security plans

U.K. coastguard agency sets Jan. 31 deadline for security plans    The United Kingdom’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the British equivalent of the U.S. Coast Guard, has announced a deadline of Jan. 31 for the submission of non-passenger ship security plans.
   The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said it had “directly advised” commercial shipping companies of the deadline, another step in the process of implementing the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code by July 1, 2004.
   “This is necessary to ensure that sufficient time exists not only for approval of a vessel security plan, but also for the plan to be implemented on the ship before a verification audit takes place and an International Ship Security Certificate issued,” the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said in a statement.
   “The effect of not having an International Ship Security Certificate after July 1 will be to seriously hamper the trading ability of any ship,” the agency said.