Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ALGIERS96
2009-01-27 17:49:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Algiers
Cable title:
U.S. COAST GUARD GIVES ALGERIAN PORTS HIGH MARKS
how-toVZCZCXRO6723 PP RUEHMRE DE RUEHAS #0096/01 0271749 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 271749Z JAN 09 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY ALGIERS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6929 INFO RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT PRIORITY 2666 RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI PRIORITY RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS PRIORITY 7524 RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 9169 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 3020 RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA PRIORITY 3632 RUEHMRE/AMCONSUL MARSEILLE PRIORITY 1703 RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ALGIERS 000096
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2019
TAGS: ETRD EWWT AG
SUBJECT: U.S. COAST GUARD GIVES ALGERIAN PORTS HIGH MARKS
ALGIERS 00000096 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: A/DCM Mark Schapiro for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ALGIERS 000096
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2019
TAGS: ETRD EWWT AG
SUBJECT: U.S. COAST GUARD GIVES ALGERIAN PORTS HIGH MARKS
ALGIERS 00000096 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: A/DCM Mark Schapiro for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (U) SUMMARY: A delegation of four International Port
Security Specialists from the U.S. Coast Guard visited the
ports of Arzew and Algiers from January 10-14, marking the
second visit by the Coast Guard since the implementation of
the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS)
in 2002. The team found the security at the ports to have
substantially improved since 2004 and to be compliant with
the ISPS Code, in some cases even surpassing the security
found at many U.S. ports. END SUMMARY.
2. (U) Since the implementation of the Maritime
Transportation Act of 2002, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has
been charged with surveying the security measures maintained
at ports from which non-U.S. flagged vessels depart for
American ports, and which U.S. flagged vessels visit. The
USCG conducted an initial assessment of the ports of Oran,
Algiers, and Arzew in 2004 and found them to be in compliance
with ISPS codes, but made some suggestions for improving port
perimeter security and crisis management mechanisms.
ARZEW: GOOD SECURITY FOR OIL AND GAS TERMINALS
-------------- -
3. (C) During their January 10-14 follow-on visit, a team of
four USCG port security specialists visited the ports of
Arzew and Algiers. At Arzew, they found that port security
had substantially improved since 2004. As one of Algeria's
primary natural gas and oil terminals, the port is
administered by a joint-venture company created by Sonatrach
and the local port authority. The LNG and LPG piers were
protected with surveillance equipment and fencing that the
USCG team describes as "on par with or better than many port
facilities in the United States." The official at Arzew port
in charge of implementing ISPS guidelines stated that the
port had made particular strides since 2004 in preventing
stowaways from boarding tankers through the port. In 2005,
there were 104 incidents in which potential illegal emigrants
broke through port security to the dock area, of which 15
successfully stowed away on ships. Since the installation of
the new surveillance systems and guard dogs, only 17 people
made it through the security perimeter in 2008 and there were
no successful stowaways.
PORT OF ALGIERS: CITY WITHIN A CITY
--------------
4. (C) The USCG specialists found that improvements made to
the Port of Algiers since 2004 were similarly impressive.
Since the last USCG visit, authorities designated the port
area an exclusive zone in which no other commercial
activities are allowed. This led to the eviction of
countless small businesses whose activities were unrelated to
the port, but which had based their offices in port
warehouses and administrative buildings. The city of Algiers
also cleared informal merchant spaces from a strip on either
side of the main roadway that passes along the port's
perimeter, creating an open buffer zone to allow for better
perimeter surveillance and access control. Equally important
was the sophisticated badging system, now used at all
international ports in Algeria, that gives workers access
only to the area of the port related to their function.
During a debriefing session, a member of the USCG
complimented the Algerians for their efforts at controlling
access both of individuals arriving to the port and of
commercial and fishing vessels using the docks. He noted the
complex nature of the port, which provides docking space for
fishing boats, commercial transport vessels including bulk
cargo, container traffic and roll-on roll-off vessels, large
passenger and vehicle ferry vessels, and bulk fuel offloading
vessels. The USCG representative likened the port zone to a
"city within a city," and complimented the head of port
security for his efforts to secure it.
FUTURE ENGAGEMENT
--------------
5. (C) The Ministries of Energy and Transportation were
exceedingly open and forthcoming during the visit of the
Coast Guard team. All of our interlocutors were eager to
hear the team's assessments as specialists and port officials
appeared genuinely committed to increasing the security of
the ports. The national authorities presented a
comprehensive port security plan that effectively integrates
ALGIERS 00000096 002.2 OF 002
relevant authorities and agencies in an efficient manner not
frequently seen in Algeria. There was genuine interest to
learn more about how the USCG cooperates with federal, state,
and local authorities on issues of port security. GOA
officials were extremely interested in a study tour of U.S.
ports, but the inability of the USCG to fund such a trip
means other funding must be secured.
6. (C) Due to security concerns, the team was not able to
visit the port at Skikda, Algeria's other major LPG and LNG
terminal. Flight delays also caused a planned trip to the
port of Bejaia to be canceled. A small team from the USCG
Liaison office in Rotterdam hopes to return later this year
to assess these two ports.
PEARCE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2019
TAGS: ETRD EWWT AG
SUBJECT: U.S. COAST GUARD GIVES ALGERIAN PORTS HIGH MARKS
ALGIERS 00000096 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: A/DCM Mark Schapiro for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (U) SUMMARY: A delegation of four International Port
Security Specialists from the U.S. Coast Guard visited the
ports of Arzew and Algiers from January 10-14, marking the
second visit by the Coast Guard since the implementation of
the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS)
in 2002. The team found the security at the ports to have
substantially improved since 2004 and to be compliant with
the ISPS Code, in some cases even surpassing the security
found at many U.S. ports. END SUMMARY.
2. (U) Since the implementation of the Maritime
Transportation Act of 2002, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has
been charged with surveying the security measures maintained
at ports from which non-U.S. flagged vessels depart for
American ports, and which U.S. flagged vessels visit. The
USCG conducted an initial assessment of the ports of Oran,
Algiers, and Arzew in 2004 and found them to be in compliance
with ISPS codes, but made some suggestions for improving port
perimeter security and crisis management mechanisms.
ARZEW: GOOD SECURITY FOR OIL AND GAS TERMINALS
-------------- -
3. (C) During their January 10-14 follow-on visit, a team of
four USCG port security specialists visited the ports of
Arzew and Algiers. At Arzew, they found that port security
had substantially improved since 2004. As one of Algeria's
primary natural gas and oil terminals, the port is
administered by a joint-venture company created by Sonatrach
and the local port authority. The LNG and LPG piers were
protected with surveillance equipment and fencing that the
USCG team describes as "on par with or better than many port
facilities in the United States." The official at Arzew port
in charge of implementing ISPS guidelines stated that the
port had made particular strides since 2004 in preventing
stowaways from boarding tankers through the port. In 2005,
there were 104 incidents in which potential illegal emigrants
broke through port security to the dock area, of which 15
successfully stowed away on ships. Since the installation of
the new surveillance systems and guard dogs, only 17 people
made it through the security perimeter in 2008 and there were
no successful stowaways.
PORT OF ALGIERS: CITY WITHIN A CITY
--------------
4. (C) The USCG specialists found that improvements made to
the Port of Algiers since 2004 were similarly impressive.
Since the last USCG visit, authorities designated the port
area an exclusive zone in which no other commercial
activities are allowed. This led to the eviction of
countless small businesses whose activities were unrelated to
the port, but which had based their offices in port
warehouses and administrative buildings. The city of Algiers
also cleared informal merchant spaces from a strip on either
side of the main roadway that passes along the port's
perimeter, creating an open buffer zone to allow for better
perimeter surveillance and access control. Equally important
was the sophisticated badging system, now used at all
international ports in Algeria, that gives workers access
only to the area of the port related to their function.
During a debriefing session, a member of the USCG
complimented the Algerians for their efforts at controlling
access both of individuals arriving to the port and of
commercial and fishing vessels using the docks. He noted the
complex nature of the port, which provides docking space for
fishing boats, commercial transport vessels including bulk
cargo, container traffic and roll-on roll-off vessels, large
passenger and vehicle ferry vessels, and bulk fuel offloading
vessels. The USCG representative likened the port zone to a
"city within a city," and complimented the head of port
security for his efforts to secure it.
FUTURE ENGAGEMENT
--------------
5. (C) The Ministries of Energy and Transportation were
exceedingly open and forthcoming during the visit of the
Coast Guard team. All of our interlocutors were eager to
hear the team's assessments as specialists and port officials
appeared genuinely committed to increasing the security of
the ports. The national authorities presented a
comprehensive port security plan that effectively integrates
ALGIERS 00000096 002.2 OF 002
relevant authorities and agencies in an efficient manner not
frequently seen in Algeria. There was genuine interest to
learn more about how the USCG cooperates with federal, state,
and local authorities on issues of port security. GOA
officials were extremely interested in a study tour of U.S.
ports, but the inability of the USCG to fund such a trip
means other funding must be secured.
6. (C) Due to security concerns, the team was not able to
visit the port at Skikda, Algeria's other major LPG and LNG
terminal. Flight delays also caused a planned trip to the
port of Bejaia to be canceled. A small team from the USCG
Liaison office in Rotterdam hopes to return later this year
to assess these two ports.
PEARCE