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Government Update • Maritime Security foreign ports. A few voices counseled against this unilateral approach. Surprisingly, the Coast Guard was silent. Admittedly, the agency had its hands full ramping up maritime security in all U.S. ports and orchestrating devel- opment of international maritime securi- ty standards, but its silence was per- ceived by some in Congress as provid- ing the green light needed to move ahead swiftly and unilaterally. The MTSA was enacted on November 25. 2003. At the time, it was considered a great step forward in enhancement of maritime security and as an early endorsement of the international mar- itime security standards being devel- oped under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). At an international diplomatic conference held in London on December 9-13. 2002. parties (led by the United States) adopted amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS Convention). The major change to the SOLAS Convention was the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. To the casual observer, the ISPS Code and the vessel security planning require- ments of the MTSA appeared to be vir- tual mirror images, with both requiring development and implementation of ship (or vessel) security plans that estab- lished physical security, passenger and cargo security, and crew security, among other things. The ISPS Code, though, provided that the ship security plan was to be reviewed and approved by or on behalf of the flag administration. The MTSA required security plans for all vessels operating in U.S. waters to be submitted to and approved by the U.S. Coast Guard. The MTSA also required that the vessel security plan address several unique issues, such as consistency with the overall U.S. national maritime trans- portation security plan. The U.S. Coast Guard, working under a tight deadline imposed by Congress and pressured to develop its maritime security program in a manner consistent with the ISPS Code, latched onto a vague provision in the preamble to the MTSA stating that it is in the best inter- ests of the United States to implement new international instruments that estab- lish a maritime security system. Now is a good time to state that I concur with the view currently espoused by the Coast Guard that an international approach to maritime security is prefer- able to a unilateral approach. After all. I was one of those few voices crying in the wilderness back when the legislation was still in draft form. The Coast Guard wrote both its inter- im regulations and its final regulations so as to be consistent with the interna- tional standard established by the ISPS Code and other amendments to the SOLAS Convention. It did this by exempting from the strictures of the ves- sel security plan requirements foreign ships that are subject to the SOLAS Convention and have on board a valid International Ship Security Certificate. The Coast Guard has emphatically stat- ed that it will utilize its Port State Control program to require full compli- ance by such ships will all applicable international security requirements. At the same time, the agency has stated that it does not want these foreign ships to submit security plans to it for review. One of the reasons (although not the primary reason) that the Coast Guard does not want to receive any of the approximately 40.000 foreign vessel security plans is lack of resources. As is : ViHKM ^flWJ Circle 343 on Reader Service Card For 85 years The William E. Williams Valve Corporation has been a specified and trusted manufacturer to the Marine Industry. Williams is an approved manufacturer for U.S. Navy vessels including most Cruisers, Destroyers and Landing Ships built over the past 20 years. Specifications include Mil-V-18110, Mil-V-18434 & Mil-V-22052. Shock & Vibration qualification available on most products. For commercial applications Williams can offer Bronze, Steel & Stainless A.B.S. Type approved valves for various services. Ship types include Tankers, Containerships, Cruiseships, Barges, Offshore Rigs and Workboats. Time tested since 1918, Williams has the technology and experience to service all your shipboard needs. I' 7 - > Guaranteed Delivery Guaranteed Service Guaranteed Quality Remember. 83 years of constant growth isn't by accident A. . Itls byjjerfsjmajice William E. Williams • j;2 -I*1-7•\J [• ] ' www.williamsvalve.com A.B.S. TYPE APPROVED 22 38-52 Review Ave., Long island City. NY 11101 (USA) Tel: 718.392.1660 Toll free: 800.221.1115, Fax: 718.729.5106. E-Mail: sales@williamsvalve.com Circle 353 on Reader Service Card Maritime Reporter & Engineering News