Operators and ports accused of ISPS Code apathy in report.

(From Lloyds List)

Byline: OECD and European Conference of Ministers' report urges final push to meet deadline in a month, writes Andrew Spurrier

A HIGH-level report on the threat to container security posed by terrorism has expressed concern that the July 1 deadline for implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code has not been taken sufficiently seriously by some shipping companies and ports.

The report, which has been produced jointly by the maritime transport committee of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and the European Conference of Ministers of Transport, has urged governments and other maritime authorities to take the necessary steps to ensure that ports and vessels under their authority meet the deadline, now only a month away.

And it urges them to do all in their power to ensure that real and not just 'superficial paper compliance' is achieved.

It also calls on them to enforce ISPS Code compliance strictly on vessels entering their ports after July 1 and suggests that they extend the code's provisions to vessels, ports and other relevant facilities not now covered by them.

The report concentrates its attention on the need for security measures covering the whole transport chain, however, and says that more attention needs to be given to the observance of security procedures by smaller inland transport operators in future.