COAST GUARD MAKES SECURITY RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMO

COAST GUARD MAKES SECURITY RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMO    The U.S. Coast Guard has submitted to the IMO in London a number of measures that it believes should be undertaken to improve maritime security with an eye to preventing acts of terrorism against shipping.
   The Coast Guard especially wants the IMO to advance the date by which automatic vessel identification systems must be installed on ships from July 1, 2008 to July 1, 2004. Other measures sought include the designation of ship and company security officers, vulnerability assessments for ports, port-of-origin container examinations, culling information on a particular ship, its cargo, and everyone on board, recommending ship security equipment, and cooperating with the World Customs Organization.