16 June 2004
RIYADH — Shipping vessels entering Saudi ports from July 1 must comply with all the safety regulations of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
This was announced by Minister of Transport Dr. Jabara Al-Seraisry, who said the Kingdom’s seaports also now met all the IMO maritime security requirements.
“The completion of this task ends a period of intensive activity by all those involved in the processes, officials of the Sea Ports Authority and Saudi Aramco, the coast guard and those managing and operating our ports and port facilities. They were supported by consultants GTZ/IPS (International Port Security) working for the Administration and Lloyds Register for Saudi Aramco,” the minister said.
“We now have plans in place and can play our full role in the international effort to detect and deter acts of maritime terrorism,” he added.
The safety regulations were drafted by Frank Wall, advisor to IMO, and Gerhard Hesse, member of the IMO and director of the safety department. Both officials arrived here yesterday for talks with the transport minister and senior officials of the Saudi Ports Authority (SPA), which will implement the regulations.
Later, Hassan Saleh Al-Hariri, director, maritime department at SPA, and Joern Steusloss, member of board of directors of GTZ of Germany, which has a technical collaboration agreement with SPA, told Arab News that all the Kingdom’s ports of Jeddah, Dammam, Yanbu, Jubail, Gizan, Duba and Ras Tanura have put in place the necessary equipment required under the IMO’s International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code).
Al-Hariri said vessels bound for any Saudi port must produce on arrival their valid International Ship Security Certificate (ISSC), issued by the vessel’s flag state in accordance with the ISPS code.
This code requires that each ship should have an officer responsible for security. He should coordinate with the port authority in all security matters and make sure that the cargo does not contain any smuggled or banned goods.
Elaborating on his statement, Steusloss said the ISPS Code was already being implemented in Saudi ports and the declaration of compliance was issued for all SOLAS port facilities.
The ISPS Code is part of Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention, to which the Kingdom is one of 150 signatories.
The GTZ official said vessels must furnish a pre-arrival statement in line with the Gulf Cooperation Council rules providing an extensive detail.
RIYADH — Shipping vessels entering Saudi ports from July 1 must comply with all the safety regulations of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
This was announced by Minister of Transport Dr. Jabara Al-Seraisry, who said the Kingdom’s seaports also now met all the IMO maritime security requirements.
“The completion of this task ends a period of intensive activity by all those involved in the processes, officials of the Sea Ports Authority and Saudi Aramco, the coast guard and those managing and operating our ports and port facilities. They were supported by consultants GTZ/IPS (International Port Security) working for the Administration and Lloyds Register for Saudi Aramco,” the minister said.
“We now have plans in place and can play our full role in the international effort to detect and deter acts of maritime terrorism,” he added.
The safety regulations were drafted by Frank Wall, advisor to IMO, and Gerhard Hesse, member of the IMO and director of the safety department. Both officials arrived here yesterday for talks with the transport minister and senior officials of the Saudi Ports Authority (SPA), which will implement the regulations.
Later, Hassan Saleh Al-Hariri, director, maritime department at SPA, and Joern Steusloss, member of board of directors of GTZ of Germany, which has a technical collaboration agreement with SPA, told Arab News that all the Kingdom’s ports of Jeddah, Dammam, Yanbu, Jubail, Gizan, Duba and Ras Tanura have put in place the necessary equipment required under the IMO’s International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code).
Al-Hariri said vessels bound for any Saudi port must produce on arrival their valid International Ship Security Certificate (ISSC), issued by the vessel’s flag state in accordance with the ISPS code.
This code requires that each ship should have an officer responsible for security. He should coordinate with the port authority in all security matters and make sure that the cargo does not contain any smuggled or banned goods.
Elaborating on his statement, Steusloss said the ISPS Code was already being implemented in Saudi ports and the declaration of compliance was issued for all SOLAS port facilities.
The ISPS Code is part of Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention, to which the Kingdom is one of 150 signatories.
The GTZ official said vessels must furnish a pre-arrival statement in line with the Gulf Cooperation Council rules providing an extensive detail.
Javid Hassan
© Arab News 2004
