Company From United Arab Emirates Poised to Oversee Six American Ports Due to Sale

AP/YahooNews ^ | 2-11-06 | Ted Bridis

[STARWISE]

A company in the United Arab Emirates is poised to take over significant operations at six American ports as part of a corporate sale, leaving a country with ties to the Sept. 11 hijackers with influence over a maritime industry considered vulnerable to terrorism.

The Bush administration considers the UAE an important ally in the fight against terrorism since the suicide hijackings and is not objecting to Dubai Ports World's purchase of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co.

The $6.8 billion sale is expected to be approved Monday. The British company is the fourth largest ports company in the world and its sale would affect commercial U.S. port operations in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia.

DP World said it won approval from a secretive U.S. government panel that considers security risks of foreign companies buying or investing in American industry.

[STARWISE]

Someone, please explain the logic of this move to me.

[STARWISE]

Ding

[MizSterious]

How nuts is this? Or am I missing something?

[MNJohnnie]

Security at the port is our job not the job the company is being hired to do. More alarmist Junk Journalism

[snowsislander]

Someone, please explain the logic of this move to me.

It seems incredible that we could be a country that also has a Jones Act:

The Jones Act (aka Merchant Marine Act) is a United States Federal statute that requires U.S.-flagged vessels to be built in the United States, owned by U.S. citizens, and documented under the laws of the United States. Documented means "registered, enrolled, or licensed under the laws of the United States." In addition, all officers and 75% of the crew must be U.S. citizens. Vessels that satisfy these requirements comprise the "Jones Act fleet". (From the Wikipedia's article on the Jones Act.)

[B4Ranch]

What was your opinion when Clinton wanted to sell Long Beach Port to Chinese companies?

[MNJohnnie]

It garbage journalism. They are a SHIPPING Company. They have NOTHING to do with port security. This is like someone buying UPS. It has NOTHING to do with security.

[MNJohnnie]

That, was a US Govt property THIS is a PRIVATE Company. DO YOU UNDERSTAND the difference?

[MNJohnnie]

You could accomplish more by bribing a corrupt Customs Agenda for a ALOT less then buying a PRIVATE company.

[philetus]

They are a SHIPPING Company"

So, conceivably, they could ship a nuke into a U.S. port?

[MNJohnnie]

Funny how this "News story" ties right in to the two Senators from NY who what billions in Fed Tax dollars to upgrade "port security" propaganda lines. Curious too how they quote Little Chuckie S who completekly obfuscates what this sale does. Also, intresting how no one cared when the Brits ran it. For all we know the Bin Ladens OWN the Brit company

[Liberty Wins]

" . . . it won approval from a secretive U.S. government panel" - - - consisting of Ted Kennedy, Michael Moore and ummm, other members of the Muslim Brotherhood? ,

[Malesherbes]

Ah, the blessings of globalization. I hope the Democrats' "Bill of Rights for Terrorists" doesn't keep us from overhearing calls from the UAE to these ports.

[B4Ranch]

History repeats itself but now the Republicans are selling us out.

[Alberta's Child]

Company From United Arab Emirates Poised to Oversee Six American Ports Due to Sale

Something about this headline didn't ring true to me, and the body of the article confirms the ignorance of the author. Peninsular and Orient (P&O) doesn't "oversee" anything at the ports listed in this article that I am familiar with -- primarily New York and New Jersey. P&O is primarily a shipping company, and is simply one of many companies that pay for dock space and berthing rights at these facilities, and in the case of New York and northern New Jersey they are overshadowed (in a big way) by other tenants like Maersk/Sealand and Maher.

[Salvation]

** U.S. port operations in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia.**

This doesn't bode well, if I understand it correctly.

[Stellar Dendrite]

ping

[Alberta's Child]

So, conceivably, they could ship a nuke into a U.S. port?

Yes. P&O Nedlloyd and its predecessor companies have been making port calls at these facilities for decades, and could also have done this at any time up to now.

[MARKUSPRIME]

You are correct the US coast gaurd, police water assets, and the US navy secure our ports not this company. Alarmist crap.