INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENTS DISCUSS SECURITY ISSUES AT OECD

INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENTS DISCUSS SECURITY ISSUES AT OECD    Representatives from industry and governments have discussed ideas to enhance cargo security in international maritime transport during a meeting held at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris on March 7-8.
   The meeting was a “brainstorming” informal meeting that discussed potential initiaves or policy ideas to be presented to the OECD’s Maritime Transport Committee, an OECD official told American Shipper.
   Before the meeting, the OECD gave attendants a list of guidelines to be considered.
   The list is understood to have included the following nine broad topics:
   * The need to keep commerce moving, and that consideration be given to costs and who should bear them;
   * That any measures taken should be international, not regional or unilateral;
   * That efforts should be coordinated with other international organizations such as the International Maritime Organization and the World Customs Organization;
   * That requirements and responsibilities should be clear and avoid duplication and/or gaps;
   * Considering liability problems that could hinder the free flow of information;
   * That port security plans are critical to overall security activities;
   * Considering a clear discussion of responsibilities between governments and industry;
   * Measures to verify cargo carried and the contents of containers, as well as insuring that seals remain intact throughout the journey, are seen as the most important and most difficult aspects of securing containerized cargo;
   * And focusing examination of multimodal transport operations on transport security.
   The OECD’s Maritime Transport Committee is likely to adopt several work proposals before its next meeting in July.
   The OECD discussions will also take into account the financial impact of a new system of security rules on the industry.