Port of Monrovia (Liberia) out of USCG Black list

The attached USCG advisory indicates that Monrovia has been removed from the restricted list, with the following comments:

The US Coast Guard issued Port Security Advisory (2-05) which amends the list of countries that were not maintaining effective anti-terrorism measures in compliance with the International Ship and Port Security Code. Vessels calling at ports in these countries during their last five port calls are subject to additional security measures when calling at US ports.

The new Port Security Advisory removes Albania, Madagascar, and Monrovia (Liberia) from the list. As a result, vessels that call at Monrovia (Liberia) during their last five port calls on or after May 23, 2005, will NOT normally be subject to increased port state control actions unless other targeting factors are applicable.

The Liberian National Port Authority has stated that Monrovia is currently the only international port in Liberia. The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has assumed overall security for the Port of Monrovia, Liberia. UNMIL has taken on substantive responsibility for securing the port in an effort to assist the Government of Liberia fulfill their responsibility for port facility security and ISPS Code compliance. UNMIL is maintaining a military and police presence in the port. The UNMIL Security Plan for the port applies standards consistent with those contained in the ISPS Code.

As a result, all vessels that visited Monrovia, Liberia during their last five port calls prior to entering the United States on or after May 23, 2005 must take the actions listed in paragraphs a through e above.

Vessels that visited Monrovia, Liberia listed above during their last five port calls on or after May 23, 2005 will not normally be boarded at sea by the Coast Guard unless other targeting factors apply, nor will these vessels be required to provide armed, private security guards while in ports of the United States.

Best Regards,

Michalis Pantazopoulos

LISCR, LLC

Port Security Advisory (2-05)

The Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 has mandated that the United States Coast Guard evaluate the effectiveness of anti-terrorism measures in foreign ports (“MTSA”, 46 USC § 70108). Noncompliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security (“ISPS”) Code indicates to the Coast Guard that the ports do not have effective anti-terrorism measures. Failure of a country to communicate information to the IMO for SOLAS signatory countries or to the U.S. Coast Guard for non- SOLAS signatory countries all required information regarding port facility security compliance as described by Regulation 13 of Chapter XI-2 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 indicates non-compliance with the port facility requirements of the ISPS Code and therefore a lack of effective anti-terrorism measures.

The U.S. Coast Guard made a determination in Port Security Advisory 1-05 that seven countries were not maintaining effective anti-terrorism measures. The two countries listed below have adequately reported the required information to the IMO, and the Coast Guard has suspended its determination that the countries are not maintaining effective anti-terrorism measures, pending confirmation of the implementation of the ISPS Code through a visit by the Coast Guard International Port Security Program. Vessels arriving from ports in these countries will continue to be subject to increased port state control actions including dockside boardings prior to cargo operations until ISPS implementation is verified. While not required as a condition of entry, if a vessel takes the steps outlined below, the vessel’s security posture will be considered and reflected in the scope, intensity and duration of the Port State Control measures. Taking these steps does not guarantee vessels will not be subject to additional measures.

Albania         Madagascar

The remaining countries listed below have still not communicated to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) or the U.S. Coast Guard all required information regarding port facility security compliance and the Coast Guard has reaffirmed the determination that these countries do not maintain effective anti-terrorism measures in their ports:

Dem. Rep. of Congo       Guinea-Bissau       Liberia       Mauritania       Nauru

All vessels that visited ports in the five countries listed above, with the exception of the port of Monrovia in Liberia, during their last five port calls prior to entering the United States on or after May 23, 2005 must take the actions listed on the following page as a condition of entry into U.S. ports.

a) Implement measures per the ship’s security plan equivalent to Security Level 2 while in ports in the above countries;

b) Ensure that each access point to the ship is guarded and that the guards have total visibility of the exterior (both landside and waterside) of the vessel while the vessel is in ports in the above countries. Guards may be:

• provided by the ship’s crew, however additional crewmembers should be placed on the ship if necessary to ensure that limits on maximum hours of work are not exceeded and/or minimum hours of rest are met, or
• provided by outside security forces approved by the ship’s master and Company Security Officer;

c) Attempt to execute a Declaration of Security while in the above countries;

d) Log all security actions in the ship’s log; and

e) Report actions taken to the cognizant U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port prior to arrival.

Vessels that visited a country listed above during their last five port calls on or after May 23, 2005 will be boarded at sea by the Coast Guard to ensure the vessel took the required actions. Failure to properly implement the above conditions of entry will result in denial of entry into the United States.

While in U.S. ports, vessels subject to these conditions of entry are required to ensure that each access point to the ship is guarded by armed, private security guards and that they have total visibility of the exterior (both landside and waterside) of the vessel. The number and locations of the guards must be acceptable to the cognizant Coast Guard Captain of the Port.

The Liberian National Port Authority has stated that Monrovia is currently the only international port in Liberia. The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) has assumed overall security for the Port of Monrovia, Liberia. UNMIL has taken on substantive responsibility for securing the port in an effort to assist the Government of Liberia fulfill their responsibility for port facility security and ISPS Code compliance. UNMIL is maintaining a military and police presence in the port. The UNMIL Security Plan for the port applies standards consistent with those contained in the ISPS Code.

As a result, all vessels that visited Monrovia, Liberia during their last five port calls prior to entering the United States on or after May 23, 2005 must take the actions listed in paragraphs a through e above. Vessels that visited Monrovia, Liberia listed above during their last five port calls on or after May 23, 2005 will not normally be boarded at sea by the Coast Guard unless other targeting factors apply, nor will these vessels be required to provide armed, private security guards while in ports of the United States.