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MANILA
has pushed for a stringent security within the Southeast
Asian ports as a result of bigger trade within the
region and the increasing borderless trading environment
as a result of electronic port transaction.
Transport Secretary Leandro M. Mendoza, in his speech at
the Asean Port Association (APA) meeting on November 20,
said that while the regional economic bloc has finished
discussing some major items from handling dangerous
goods to port safety, health and environment, strategies
on port security still has yet to be placed on the
agenda.
“APA’s
experiences on completed tasks as well as on those
projects, security and environmental protection in port
operations procedures in an increasingly borderless
trading environment such as what we are seeing now in
the areas of electronic port transportation [still has
to be discussed],” Mendoza said.
Port
leaders of countries that are members of the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations are in the
Philippines
for its annual meeting, which will conclude today.
Asean
has more than a hundred ports, but the region only has
more than 60 baseports, with
Philippines
having the most number with 22, followed by
Malaysia
15, and Indonesia with nine.
Mendoza
said that there are “noteworthy” progress in the
enforcement of International Ship and Port Facility
Security Code, but more work should be done in the more
advanced procedures initiated by the United States
government. These include the Customs’ Trade Partnership
Against Terrorism, and the Container Security Initiative
Agreements.
“I am
certain that these programs will continue to evolve
through time considering the peculiarities of each APA-member
country and the advances in ports, shipping and trade in
general,” he said.
Mendoza
said if the regional bloc would not move to integrate
its security measures, a large attack could result in
drastic measure such as complete closure of ports, and
inefficient, duplicative and lengthy cargo checks in
both originating and receiving ports.
“Noncompliance [with ISPS Code] may also result in
significant delay, detention, refusal of entry, as well
as the possible voiding of insurance coverage for
failure by the terminal operator or shipowner to comply
with the ISPS Code,” Mendoza said.
“Much
still remain to be done though, but I am certain that
providing a trading environment that is relatively free
from all forms of security risks that is the heart of
every successful operating port anywhere.” |
