Symposium in Bahamas to Focus on Ship, Port Security

Port security officials from the Bahamas, the U.S. and the Turks and Caicos Islands were given the opportunity to fine-tune their protection of regional ports on Tuesday, as the second annual International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) symposium opened on Tuesday at the Radisson Cable Beach Resort.

The three-day symposium will focus on ship and port security within The Bahamas and is being sponsored by The Bahamas Port Authority and the United States Navy and Coast Guard Liaison officers of the U.S. Embassy.

There are presently 22 port facilities in The Bahamas, and as a member of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), The Bahamas and other nations were mandated to adopt the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, which took effect last July.

Tuesday´s ISPS Symposium was designed to promote dialogue among government and key private industry officials of The Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands and U.S. Homeland Security personnel.

Seventy-five professionals from various industries are participating in the symposium, including some from Nassau Harbor, Freeport Harbor, the Royal Bahamas Police and Defense Forces, Bahamas Customs and Immigration Departments, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Transport and Aviation, the office of National Disaster Management Agency, Royal Turks & Caicos Police Force, private facility operations and cruise ship agents.

Key discussion areas will include a basic overview and status of ISPS throughout the world. In addition, the training is expected to sharpen the skills of Bahamian law enforcement officers and better prepare them to identify and appropriately handle terrorist threats at port facilities.

The three-day symposium will climax with a mock emergency drill at Prince George Wharf on Thursday afternoon.