Fewer than 6 percent of ports comply with U.N. security measures, official says
By YEOH EN-LAI
The Associated Press
5/25/04 12:19 PM
SINGAPORE (AP) -- Fewer than 6 percent of the world's seaports and ships adhere to United Nations rules aimed at preventing terrorist attacks, the head of the U.N.'s maritime agency said Tuesday.
The U.N.'s International Maritime Organization said it would begin enforcing the International Ship and Port Security code when it takes effect July 1, which could disrupt shipping.
"Ships will be detained," said Efthimios Mitropoulos, the agency's secretary general. "There will be disruption."
The code, adopted after the Sept. 11 attacks to protect ports and vessels from terrorism, requires port staff and ships' crews to conduct regular anti-terror drills, restrict the number of weapons and visitors aboard vessels and have attack contingency measures in place.
Commercial vessels are also required to submit security plans to the maritime agency.
Mitropoulos said only 301 of about 5,500 port facilities comply with the security code.
http://www.nj.com/breakingnews/index.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?f0104_BC_MaritimeTerror&&news&tradecentercrash
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