ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES
Inter-American Committee on Ports (CIP)
TENTH MEETING OF THE EXCECUTIVE BOARD OEA/SER. L/XX.1.10
OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMITTEE ON PORTS CIDI/CECIP-X/doc. 28/09
From March 23-27, 2009 March 16, 2009
Buenos Aires, Argentina Original: Spanish
FINAL REPORT
III HEMISPHERIC CONFERENCE ON PORT SECURITY
(APRIL 7 – 10, 2008, PUNTA CANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC)
INDEX
Pág.
- BACKGROUND...... 3
- VENUE AND DATE...... 3
- AGENDA...... 3
- OFFICERS OF THE CONFERENCE...... 4
- PARTICIPANTS...... 5
- DOCUMENTS...... 5
- CONFERENCE SESSIONS......
Preliminary Session of Heads of Delegation ...... 5
Inaugural Session ...... 6
First Plenary Session ...... 8
Second Plenary Session ...... 18
Third Plenary Session...... 31
Clossing Session...... 41
- ANEXES
- List of de Participants...... 43
- Listof Documents ...... 57
I.BACKGROUND
The Inter-American Committee on Ports (CIP) is a Committee of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI), established in compliance with Resolution AG/RES. 1573 (XXVIII-0/98) of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), according to Articles 77 and 93 of the Charter of the Organization of American States, and Articles 5 and 15 of the CIDI Statute.
The purpose of the Committee is to serve as a permanent inter-American forum for the member states of the OAS in order to strengthen cooperation in the area of port development, with the active participation and collaboration of the private sector.
The V Meeting of the CIP (Salvador Bahía, Brazil, September 2007), agreed to hold the Third Hemispheric Conference on Port Security of the Inter-American Committee on Ports (CIP) in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, in April of 2008. The Cuerpo Especializado de Securidad Portuaria (CESEP) of the Dominican Republic coordinated the event within the country.
The draft agenda for the Conference was prepared by the Office of the Chairman of the Executive Board, the host country, and the Secretariat. The meeting followed the Rules of Procedure of the CIP.
II. VENUE AND DATE
The Third Hemispheric Conference on Port Security of the Inter-American Committee on Ports of the OAS was held at OceanBlueBeach and Golf Resort Hotel, in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic from April 7 to 10, 2008.
III. AGENDA
The Agenda that was adopted (document CHSP-III/doc. 2/07 rev. 1) included the following points:
1. Ratification of agreements adopted in the Preliminary Session of Heads of Delegation
2. State of international standards and regulations on port security at a global level
a)International standards on port security matters:
(i)Multidimensional Security of the OAS
(ii)International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO)
(iii)Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade of the World Customs Organization (WCO)
(iv) International Health Regulations and their Implementation in the Port and Maritime Domain (WHO)
(v) Impact of Port Security Measures on Maritime Labor
b)National and regional regulations on port security in the principal countries and regions of commercial interest:
(i)United States
(ii)European Union
3. Current state of port security in OAS Member Countries:
a) Presentations from countries of North America
b) Presentations from countries of Central America
c) Presentations from countries of the Caribbean
d) Presentations from countries of South America
4. Identification of frequent and common problems and solutions to these problems through best practices at a specific level of a port or terminal
a) Experiences in ports and terminals
(i)Presentations on best practices to overcome difficulties in legal, administrative, and institutional matters, in addition to those of technological cost, investments required, financial and human resources, and training
b) Projects of cooperation for port security:
(i) from the United States
(ii) from international and regional organizations
c) Panel of experts on port cooperation among Member States
(i) TRAINMAR Association of South America (ATAS)
(ii) Caribbean Shipping Association (CSA)
(iii)Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
(iv)Inter-American Committee on Ports (CIP) of the OAS
(v) International Maritime Organization (IMO)
IV. OFFICERS OF THE CONFERENCE
Chair:Luis Taveras (Dominican Republic)
1st Vice-Chair: Ricardo Luján (Argentina)
2nd Vice-Chair: Rosalie Donaldson (Jamaica)
Secretary: Carlos M. Gallegos (OAS)
V. PARTICIPANTS
Delegations from the following member countries of the OAS participated in the Conference: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Grenada, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Kitts and Nevis, Santa Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Uruguay, and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. A delegation from Spain also participated as Permanent Observer to the OAS, and observers from the following international organizations participated: TRAINMAR Association of South America, World Bank, Caribbean Shipping Association (CSA), Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Organization of American States (OAS), International Maritime Organization (IMO), World Health Organization (WHO), International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots, and special guests. The list of participants is attached to this report as Annex “A” (document CHSP-III/doc.3/07 rev.1).
VI. DOCUMENTS
The list of Conference documents is attached to this report as Annex “B” (document CHSP-III/doc.1/07 rev. 1).
VII. CONFERENCE SESSIONS
The Conference consisted of the following sessions: Preliminary Session of Heads of Delegation, the Inaugural Session, three plenary sessions, and the Closing Session.
Preliminary Session of Heads of Delegation
This was held at 6:30pm on Monday, April 7, 2008. It was chaired by Mr. Ángel González Rul, Chairman of the Executive Board of the CIP (CECIP). Its purpose was to coordinate various operational aspects of the Conference. The following points were discussed, which led to the adoption of the respective agreements:
- Conference Officers: See section IV above.
- Conference Agenda: See document CHSP-III/doc.2/07 rev. 1 and in section III above.
- Conference Schedule: See document CHSP-III/doc.4/07 rev. 2.
- Documents: A CD was given out at the end of the Conference with all of the documents, in their original languages, to all participants.
Inaugural Session
The Inaugural Session was held at 7:30pm on Monday, April 7, 2008, with the participation of the following people: Ms. Sherry Tross, Chief of Staff of the Assistant Secretary General of the OAS, Mr. Ángel González Rul, delegate of Mexico and Chairman of CECIP, Mr. Luis Taveras, Chairman of the Consejo de Administración de la Autoridad Portuaria of the Dominican Republic (APORDOM); and Vice-Admiral Homero Lajara Solá, Director of CESEP. Other members of the head table were Major General José Aníbal Sanz Jiminian, Executive Director of APORDOM, Major General Luis Rivera Jiménez, Commander of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic, Ambassador Alexandre Addor-Neto, Secretary for Multidimensional Security of the OAS, and Dr. Carlos M. Gallegos, Executive Secretary of the CIP, OAS.
Vice-Admiral Homero Lajara thanked CIP/OAS for the confidence it had deposited in the Dominican Republic upon selecting is as the venue for this very important hemispheric event. He noted the large number of attendees and the participation of a high percentage of the member states, which is a milestone in terms of attendance for this kind of event. He particularly pointed out the importance of having these exchanges of ideas and best practices, which for port security is an essential tool for enhancing security and reducing risks. For this reason, he called the Conference an historic and extremely important event. He thanked the private sector of the Dominican Republic for its support which had made the event possible, and he extended a warm welcome to all delegates, guests, and participants, wishing them a good visit in the country and success in the Conference.
Later, Mr. Ángel González Rul spoke on behalf of the Executive Board, the foreign delegations, and his country of Mexico to thank the authorities of the Dominican Republic, particularly CESEP and APORDOM, for organizing the Conference. He pointed out how much work goes into organizing such a meeting, and noted the warm reception extended to all of the visitors.
Mr. González Rul reminded the group that Christopher Columbus had come to the Dominican Republic in 1492, which led to the establishment of the first Spanish forts in that land. The country is also home to the first cultural and social institutions of the Americas, such as its first church and cathedral, the first monuments, and the first university, all of which makes Santo Domingo the quintessential city of the Americas.
He pointed out the warmth of the Dominican people and the atmosphere around Punta Cana, where it is hard to resist nature’s charms.
He gave special recognition to the delegation of the United States for its work within the Technical Advisory Committee (TAG) on Port Security, which gave rise to this series of Conferences.
The Chairman also pointed out that we seek to facilitate port operations so that the exchange of goods can take place, and passengers can safely move between ports in the hemisphere and other latitudes. Under current security regulations, we are obliged to think of intelligent measures to expedite operations as well as the protection and security of ports and ships. He urged the member countries to make our ports safe and dynamic points of exchange, in order to give a boost to business, trade, and tourism in a transparent, competitive, and efficient way.
The next speaker was Ms. Sherry Tross. She extended apologies from the Assistant Secretary General, Ambassador Albert Ramdin, who was unable to attend the event because of a last-minute, unexpected conflict..
Ms. Tross thanked the government of the Dominican Republic for hosting this very import Conference for the ports of the Americas. She pointed out the various activities that the OAS is carrying out in the field of port security and protection, particularly through the CIP and the Secretariat for Multidimensional Security. She noted the CIP’s successful holding of the previous conferences, and recalled the strategic framework for cooperation on port security adopted at the First Conference in Miami in 2004. She expressed a hope that the guidelines set forth in that framework to mitigate security problems will be implemented to their maximum potential in all the member states.
Ms. Tross also pointed out the active participation of the private sector in CIP’s TAG on Port Security, and expressed optimism that this joint work could make it possible to share best practices and thus enhance port security in the hemisphere, particularly for the countries of the Caribbean with their different forms of political organization.
Additionally, Ms. Tross noted the excellent recommendations produced at the First Hemispheric Conference on Environmental Port Protection (CIP) held in Panama the previous year. She urged the member states to make an effort to implement those recommendations swiftly.
In closing, she acknowledged Vice-Admiral Homero Lajara and CESEP for their efforts in organizing the Conference. On behalf of Ambassador Ramdin and herself, she wished the delegates every success in this endeavor.
The final speaker was Mr. Luis Taveras. He spoke of his high hopes that this Conference will become a wonderful way to handle such a delicate and important issue as port security and protection. He expressed certainty that it will enable participants to assess successful actions, share experiences, and overcome the challenges which each country has had to face in implementing the ISPS Code over the past almost four years.
Mr. Taveras highlighted the valuable cooperation and support offered by the President of the Dominican Republic, Dr. Leonel Fernández. With his clear vision of the future, the President has been a leader in generating and implementing institutional structures which make it possible to increase the protection and security of the national ports.
Mr. Taveras called attention to the need for clear and effective mechanisms for training human resources on port security and protection, and he pointed out the agreement about to be signed by APORDOM, the CIP, and APECUniversity to create an academic structure that would include graduate courses and an undergraduate major in maritime port management.
The session closed with Mr. Taveras extending a very warm welcome to all the attendees. He wished them much success in the work of the coming days, and declared the Conference to be formally opened.
First Plenary Session
This session was held at 8:30am on Tuesday, April 8, 2008. It was Chaired by Mr. Taveras, Chairman of the Conference. The following agenda items were discussed:
Ratification of agreements adopted in the Preliminary Session of Heads of Delegation(item 1 of the agenda). The meeting ratified the agreements reached earlier.
State of international standards and regulations on port security at a global level (item 2 of the agenda). This panel was moderated by Mr. Ricardo Luján, Under Secretary of Ports and Navigable Waterways of Argentina and principal delegate of his country to the Conference.
a)International standards on port security
(i).Multidimensional Security (OAS)
Ambassador Alexander Addor-Neto, Secretary for Multidimensional Security of the OAS, spoke about crime and its many and varied manifestations and its impact on the world. He particularly noted the current increase in firearms trafficking in the Caribbean and countries with large populations, such as Mexico and Brazil, where the rate of homicides with firearms is the highest in the world—causing more than 100,000 deaths annually.
He called attention to the direct relationship found between citizens’ level of risk and traditional risk factors in a given country, such as extreme poverty, lack of education, and low standards of living. This is true for broad sectors of the hemisphere’s population. States need to address these situations to offer more security.
Ambassador Addor-Neto noted how important it was for the OAS to create the Secretariat for Multidimensional Security. Its sphere of activities includes drugs, terrorism, security policies, illicit trafficking in persons, weapons and ammunition, strengthening the juridical capacity of specialized law enforcement and judges, the creation of databases, and the identification of problems which need to be solved jointly.
He offered some figures regarding these phenomena, such as the 4,500 people who disappear annually in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 80% of whom are the victims of unsolved homicides.
The Ambassador stressed the need for the member states to coordinate their multidisciplinary policies and programs to fight these illegal acts by creating databases and specialized approaches.
Ambassador Addor-Neto stressed that one of the main reasons that progress does not yield the desired results is that governments do not take bold measures based on long-term state policies. These would include sharing experiences, holding best practices workshops, offering multinational technical assistance and specialized courses for police and customs personnel, developing strategic partnerships between the public and private sector, and establishing groups of experts in the various areas to encompass the different kinds of issues involved.
He stressed that it is important for the member states to offer their full support to these endeavors, by joining efforts to work towards the common good.
(ii). - International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) of the IMO
Captain Curtis Roach, Regional Maritime Advisor, IMO, stated that the main problems in port security and protection stem from the increase in maritime and port activity in recent years. This increase is accelerating, and unfortunately, some sectors of importers and exporters do not attribute enough importance to strict adherence to port security measures, out of a belief that they are an obstacle to the continuous, efficient flow of merchandise. (See CHSP-III/INF 30/08)
He stressed the importance of designing early security warning measures to monitor merchandise and containers of questionable origin or that are tied to agents and shippers with a history of infractions which cast doubt on their commitment to the system.
He called attention to the need to review current standards and improve systems in order to establish a manual of code practices, which would allow regulations in force to be applied more expeditiously and help staff interpret them in their day to day work.
Captain Roach urged the member states to join the working groups that have been formed in several regions to study the more common situations that arise on the flagships and ports of countries that have not signed on to SOLAS (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea) or the ISPS Code.
He noted the additional activities that the IMO has been proposing to enhance compliance with the existing rules, in some cases adjusting them to the new regulations that have been created in other international organizations such as the WCO, the European Union (EU), and the International Standards Organization (ISO).
Additionally, Captain Roach explained that the security standards set in Circular letter MSC/1192 of 2006, which also contains information request forms, have been given to the governments for updates.
Part of the progress made over the last year is the Global Shipping Information System GSIS). Captain Roach said that this will bring great benefits to the users of maritime transport and ports.
He also mentioned the formation of the Maritime Security Council (MSC), a special working group which will update regulations manuals and prepare new ones for the application of the Code. Its conclusions will be ready in December of 2008.
In closing, Captain Roach noted that IMO works continuously to adapt and revise the rules regarding security and the protection of ships and port facilities.
(iii). - Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade of the World Customs Organization (WCO)
This topic was introduced by Mr. Carlos Ochoa, Program Manager, U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He indicated that the WCO Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade is a project that was unanimously approved in June of 2005 by the 150 member states of the WCO, including 22 OAS member states. The project seeks to improve and strengthen international trade.