U.S. security increased for ships from Congo

U.S. security increased for ships from Congo    The U.S. Coast Guard said ships coming from ports in the Republic of the Congo must demonstrate enhanced security measures before entering U.S. ports.
   On Dec. 24, 2008, the agency made recommendations to the Congolese government on how to correct ship security measures in its ports to bring them in line with the International Shop and Port Facility Security Code.
   “To date, the United States cannot confirm that the identified deficiencies have been corrected,” the agency said.
   The Coast Guard said the West African country “presents significant risk of introducing instruments of terror into international maritime commerce.”
   Vessels that include stops at Congelese ports during their last five port calls before arriving in the United States must demonstrate to the Coast Guard through documentation that ISPS security measures were carried out while in the Congo, including the use of guards at all access points of the ship.
   The Coast Guard reserves the right, based on its findings, to require these vessels to be guarded by armed guards while in U.S. ports.
   The measures, which take effect on Sept. 15, exclude vessels arriving from the Congo’s Djeno Oil Terminal, a single buoy mooring off shore. For more details access the Federal Register notice.