Security expected to heighten at key ports
SECURITY at the country’s two major ports is expected to heighten with the recent audit carried out by the United States Coast Guard and the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji.
Experts carried out the ISPS audit at the Ports of Lautoka and Suva last week as part of the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
US Coast Guard International Port Security Program chief, capacity building and technical assistance Scott Wolland said the US had been working with all its maritime trade partners to share in-line security best practices and help improve maritime security globally.
“We’re talking about implementing the ISPs code, which of course involves risk assessments of the ports to ensure that the international ships that come to the ports in Fiji are safe and secure,” Mr Wolland said.
“And then when they go to other foreign ports that they are also safe and secure.
“And so we discussed risk assessment and the implementation of the security measures globally here in Fiji and sharing experiences and lessons from our experience with other port security fields.”
Mr Wolland said the safety of borders remained a priority and it was important for them to establish this partnership with the Fiji Government to help improve security for all of those ships and passengers that called into Fiji’s main ports.
“We will invite a delegation from Fiji to come to the United States as part of our partnership in cooperation with Fiji.
“This is our first time in Fiji to do this assessment as a team and so we’re going to take that back and discuss that, once we get back to the US and then we’ll provide that report to the government of Fiji.”