Maritime News

ITEM 1 BRUSSELS IN BLITZ ON SHIP AND PORT SECURITY

ITEM 2 WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY IN CRUISE SHIP THREAT

ITEM 3 UK POLICE STEP UP DRUGS GANG HUNT

ITEM 4 AUS POLICE FEAR HAULS ARE TIP OF ICEBERG

ITEM 5 NZ POLICE FIND NARCOTICS ON CARGO SHIP

ITEM 6 BOAT FOUND WITH 80 KILOS GANJA IN CARIBBEAN

ITEM 7 TERROR SHIP HISTORY EXAMINED

ITEM 8 GHANA THUGS TAUNT SECURITY AT PORT

ITEM 9 MAN FOUND DEAD INSIDE KUWAIT PORT

ITEM 10 NZ PORTS UNITE OVER SECURITY

ITEM 11 ECUADOR POLICE ARREST 9 IN COCAINE BUST

LOCATION: EUROPE

SOURCE CODE: LLOYDS LIST

DATE POSTED: MAY 15, 2003

THE European Commission is to draw up sweeping new shipping and port security guidelines based on, but going well beyond, proposals in the International Maritime Organisation pipeline. Many measures that are only recommendations for IMO purposes will become compulsory. Moreover, passengerships on domestic routes will be obliged to meet full international standards. A forthcoming EU directive will be based on decisions of the IMO diplomatic conference last December, which adopted the International Ship and Port Facility code, due to be introduced in 2004. However, the ISPS provisions will be significantly beefed up. In an apparent sideswipe at the US, the commission argues that this is necessary 'to avoid recourse to bilateral initiatives such as those developed by some third countries'. Commission vice-president Loyola de Palacio said: 'The current geopolitical climate requires an urgent and effective implementation in Europe of what has been agreed at a world level.' The 'highest possible' levels of security must apply to seafarers, ships, ports and the whole intermodal transport chain, Ms de Palacio maintained. 'Security and safety are one of the main priorities of this commission,' she said. 'Our citizens require concrete measures.' In the first place, the forthcoming directive will rubber-stamp many of the measures mandatory under ISPS. These include a requirement for ships to carry an automatic identification system, a security alert system triggered by hostile acts and a continuous synopsis record. Active and passive security measures will be based on three security levels normal, increased, and high. But under EU rules several ISPS recommendations will be made mandatory to avoid divergences of interpretation among member states, and the timetable for adoption will be faster than that sought by the IMO. All countries will be required to appoint a national authority responsible for the security of ships and port installations, and the implementation of national plans will be supervised and inspected by the commission. All ISPS requirements will be extended to passenger ships on national routes where they sail further than 20 miles beyond the cost. Third countries are to be encouraged to recognise EU security levels and provide reciprocal measures. Industry reaction to the announcement was muted, as it appears there was little advance warning of the move. Roger Holt of Intercargo said the bulk carrier sector accepted the need to comply with ISPS, so the EU move presented no special difficulties. 'Domestic rules are coming into line with international rules. It is no problem,' he insisted. A spokesman for the International Chamber of Ship-ping said the organisation could not comment until it had digested the proposals.

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WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY IN CRUISE SHIP THREAT

LOCATION: HONOLULU, HAWAII

SOURCE CODE: ASSOCIATED PRESS

DATE POSTED: MAY 16, 2003

A woman accused of planting threatening notes aboard a cruise ship to cut short a family vacation and return to her boyfriend pleaded guilty Thursday. In exchange for the plea to the single federal charge, prosecutors dropped a second count against Kelley Marie Ferguson. She was charged under the USA Patriot Act, passed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, because the notes threatened to kill Americans. Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas was temporarily diverted to waters off Honolulu on April 23 following the discovery of two threatening notes in a ladies' bathroom. Ferguson, 20, of Laguna Hills, Calif., was to be released as early as Thursday and placed under house arrest in her parents' custody until sentencing Sept. 22. Prosecutors said Ferguson is expected to give birth in several months, one reason why she is being released. She faces a maximum 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the charge of conveying false information about an attempt to kill passengers on a vehicle of mass transportation. But defense attorney Loretta Faymonville said she expects her client to serve no more than two years. Faymonville said Ferguson's pregnancy "contributed to her mental state" when she wrote the notes. "She never had the slightest idea that what she was doing would have such an impact," the lawyer said. "I can't tell you how sorry she is for what she did." As a condition of her release, Ferguson is to have no contact with her boyfriend, who has a criminal record, her attorney said.

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UK POLICE STEP UP DRUGS GANG HUNT

LOCATION: UK

SOURCE CODE: DAWN ONLINE

DATE POSTED: MAY 17, 2003

Police are following a new lead in the hunt for drug smugglers who left millions of pounds of cocaine in north Devon. More than 200 kilograms of the drug with an estimated street value of £14m were found in the Torridge Estuary between Bideford and Appledore two weeks ago. Police have been trying to find out who left the drugs and who was supposed to have picked them up. Officers are now looking to trace any groups of men who were renting accommodation in the area in the weeks beforehand. The drugs were in army-type rucksacks, coloured black, blue, green and camouflaged, in an area which is not accessible by a vehicle. Anyone going there would have had to travel by boat, or walked along an estuary footpath. After a tip off from someone who came across the bags, police picked them up on Monday, 9 May. A joint investigation was started by officers from Customs and Excise and Devon and Cornwall Police. Now the special inquiry team is asking for information from anyone who knows of a group or groups of men renting a cottage or other accommodation in the area during the weeks before the find.

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AUS POLICE FEAR HAULS ARE TIP OF ICEBERG

LOCATION: AUSTRALIA

SOURCE CODE: ABC AUSTRALIA

DATE POSTED: MAY 20, 2003

Its chemical name is methylamphetamine, but users call it ice because of its white crystalised flake-like appearance. Following the third big seizure in five days, federal and NSW police have warned that Asian crime syndicates see Sydney as the main distribution point to flood Australia with the drug. The seizure on Sunday of 95 kilograms of ice worth an estimated $45 million took the total seized by Federal Police, Customs and NSW Police since Wednesday to 423 kilograms, with a street value of more than $200 million. The co-commanders of the Joint Asian Crime Group, NSW Police Detective Inspector John Lehmann and Federal Police Senior Agent Rob Milner, said yesterday they were staggered and alarmed at the quantities of the drug appearing in Sydney. "We would like to think we are making a dent in it but it is difficult to say because of the increasing demand for this type of drug," said Federal Agent Milner. On Wednesday, a man and a woman were arrested in Haymarket over the importation from China of 223 kilograms of ice hidden inside packets of rice noodles. Federal police then found 105 kilograms of the drug at a Pyrmont unit on Friday. It had been imported from China in packets of brown sugar. The ice found on the North Shore on Sunday was hidden inside equipment used in the desalination of salt water. Three men and a woman appeared briefly before Central Local Court magistrate Ian Barnett yesterday. The men were unemployed Chinese national Cheng Hai Liu, 35, of no fixed address, who was also charged with assaulting one of the detectives in an attempt to avoid arrest; Chung Yung Lam, 44, a Neutral Bay property broker; and Yiu Leung Chung, 42, of Cremorne. The arrested woman was Japanese citizen Chieko Arai, a 37-year-old waitress from Cremorne, who was also charged with aiding and abetting the importation of the drug between March 14 and May 18. All four were refused bail to reappear in court on June 11. Detective Inspector Lehmann said ice had become the most popular drug on the night club scene in many Asian countries. "We are alarmed [at the quantities being seized]," he said. "We see it as basically the same type of criminal syndicates who have been traditionally involved in the importation of . . . other types of narcotics, just diversifying from heroin."

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NZ POLICE FIND NARCOTICS ON CARGO SHIP

LOCATION: MALE SOURCE CODE: HNS DATE POSTED: MAY 19, 2003 Police have detained five crew members of a Maldivian cargo ship after finding narcotic drugs on board the ship, which recently arrived from Tuticorin, India. An unspecified amount of heroin was seized from the ship "Maafaru" which arrived in Male on 1 May, police said. The vessel was raided in an operation jointly carried out by the Police, Port Security and Customs after receiving an intelligence report, according to the police. Police declined to give detailed information at this time, citing pending investigations. However, they said that detailed information regarding the case will be revealed to the press after investigations are concluded. Assistant commissioner of police Major Ibrahim Latheef said that police has stopped three previous attempts of drug smuggling by ships. A Maldives company called Marine Export and Trading Company is presently operating the vessel "Maafaru", according to an official.

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BOAT FOUND WITH 80 KILOS GANJA IN CARIBBEAN

LOCATION: PHILIPSBURG, ST. MAARTEN

SOURCE CODE: ST. MAARTEN DAILY HERALD

DATE POSTED: MAY 20, 2003

More than 80 kilos of marijuana was confiscated from a fishing boat called Love 1 yesterday after the local Coast Guard cutter Puma intercepted it when officers spotted crew members dumping bales into the sea, later found to be marijuana. Chief Prosecutor Cor Merx said, "Five male and one female suspect were arrested." According to Merx, the suspects were on their way to St. Maarten from St. Kitts when they were intercepted. Authorities have revealed that the suspects are nationals of St. Vincent. Five crew members were detained and four barrels containing the marijuana were confiscated by Customs. "I have also confiscated the boat called Love 1," said Merx. The boat is said to be registered to someone in St. Vincent and was in Great Bay waters when it was intercepted. Spokesperson for the Netherlands Antilles Coast Guard Captain Robin Middle told The Daily Herald yesterday that the boat had been spotted in Great Bay waters at 11:30pm on Monday while officers were out on patrol in the Puma. "We realized the suspicious behavior of the crew members and upon closer observation noticed that they were busy dumping the bales over the side of the small fishing boat," said Middle. "The officers intercepted the boat and gained access to it, and once on board found similar bales to the ones that had already been dumped overboard." The five men were taken into Coast Guard custody, brought to shore and handed over to the local police.

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TERROR SHIP HISTORY EXAMINED LOCATION: UNITED KINGDOM

SOURCE CODE: DAWN ONLINE

DATE POSTED: MAY 19, 2003

The suicide bomb attacks in Riyadh and Casablanca have led to heightened security across the world. Fears that Britain could become a target led to special scanners being put into ports last week to detect radioactive weapons. But there are still weak points in Europe's defences, particularly at sea. By July 2004, the European Union and the International Maritime Organisation say tough new security measures will be enshrined into shipping law. But concerns remain. Jonathan Miller has the story of one ship sailing under a so-called flag of convenience. It carried what Italian authorities say are Al-Qaeda suspects. Throughout the winter, an ageing freighter called Sara was languishing off the south coast of Sicily, impounded by the Italian police. Two-thirds of her crew are in jail. The remainder: marooned on the rusting vessel. The Sara is at the heart of an international investigation into the smuggling of terrorists to Europe. The Sicilian Special Branch took us out to the Sara. This is a ship that has changed its name five times in the past three years alone and it's sailed under three different flags of convenience.

Trawl through maritime databases and you enter a murky world of often fictitious corporate owners who re-register vessels under obscure foreign flags and order names be re-painted mid-ocean. The Sara is no exception. She's now flagged to the Pacific island of Tonga - a flag on shipping industry blacklists for its lax safety record. The Sara's last voyage began on Romania's Black Sea coast. The Romanian secret service was already suspicious.

Brigadier-General Ion Stefanut - Romanian Intelligence Service: "The ship was loaded with timber. It became obvious to us that the cargo was only a cover for the real purposes of the ship's trips to the Mediterranean." The timber was unloaded in Morocco where four crew disembarked; the Romanian captain was expecting to pick up replacements.

To the Captain's surprise, 14 Pakistani sailors came aboard - on the instructions of the ship's owner. All had seamen's documents and passports. The apparently experienced merchant-mariners moved into cramped port-side cabins on the lower deck. The Sara set sail. But off the North African coast she ran into force seven gales. As the ship rolled and pitched, the 14 Pakistani sailors all became violently sea-sick.

Adrian Pop - Captain, the Sara: "At that moment I realise that these people are not seamen. One of them said with his fist on the table ‘We are not seamen!' ‘You are not seamen? Who are you? What are you?' And we start to be afraid a little bit."

Captain Pop headed to Sicily. There, the 14 sea-sick sailors and one other Pakistani, who'd been on the ship all along, were arrested and detained as illegal immigrants. But now the Italian authorities believe the 15 Pakistanis are al-Qaeda terrorists.

Chief prosecutor Francesco Messineo has been investigating the case together with US Naval Intelligence and European security agencies. He has charged the fifteen Pakistanis with conspiracy to engage in terrorist acts.

Francesco Messineo - Chief Prosecutor:

"They had false passports plus addresses, telephone numbers, scribbled notes and documents that were already the focus of an international anti-terrorist investigation. These documents had links to terrorism. There's a phrase: it goes something like ‘he who unites people in marriage.' This key sentence was already known by the intelligence services as a password for people belonging to al-Qaeda."

Channel 4 News has learned that this phrase was intercepted by US intelligence on two past occasions. The 1993 bombing of the World Trade Centre and in the run-up to the September the 11th attacks. Forensic examination in Italy determined that the 15 Pakistani passports were forged. Enquiries in Pakistan established that the seamen's documents were fakes too.

Santi Guiffre - Chief of Police, Caltanisetta: "The aim of this organisation was to disperse its operatives not only in Italy but also abroad as important future terrorist cells. We're reasonably certain that a number of European countries are involved - including primarily Spain, but also England and France."

Despite repeated requests, we were unable to interview the accused who were in the process of instructing new lawyers. The Pakistan Embassy in Rome told us the suspects maintain their innocence - that they're just economic migrants seeking a better life in Europe. But if any of them really are Al-Qaeda operatives, as the Italians and the Americans believe, the question is: who had put them on the ship?

According to Captain Adrian Pop, one Pakistani sailor had been on the ship from the outset.

Adrian Pop - Captain, the Sara: "I think he was in charge to make a contact for these fourteen people." Miller: "He was the insider?"

Pop: "Exactly."

The name of the alleged inside man: 30-year-old Able Seaman Nasir Khan, from Pakistan's Northwest Frontier Province, on the Afghan border. According to crew lists obtained by Channel 4 News, Nasir Khan - unlike his 14 fellow inmates - had actually joined the ship in Romania.

We travelled to Romania to try to find Nasir Khan's boss - the owner of the Sara. It turned out the Romanian secret service had already had the ship and its owner under surveillance for a year.

Brigadier-General Ion Stefanut - Romanian Intelligence Service: "What we knew at that time was that an illegal immigration operation was in place, in function. What we suspected was that Al Qaeda might have taken advantage of the existing network as I've said to infiltrate its men in Europe. As a personal opinion I think yes al-Qaeda took advantage of an existing illegal immigration channel."

According to Romanian intelligence, the company which owned and managed the Sara was based in the Black Sea port of Constanza. The now-bankrupt firm was headed by a Greek businessman, who'd bought up part of the ageing Romanian merchant fleet.

Shipping industry databases indicate that the business interests of Dimitrios Kokkos are obscured in a labyrinthine web of companies based in Romania, Greece and the United States. All the ships linked to Mr Kokkos fly under down-market flags of convenience.

Telephone conversation with Kokkos: "Hello? Hello, Mr Kokkos. Mr Kokkos, my name is Jonathan Miller." "I'm from Channel 4 News in the UK. And what I'd like to talk to you about is about some of your shipping operations." "The allegation is that your company is offering a sort of floating taxi service for terrorists. Is that fair?" "That's ridiculous is it? Right."

Demitrios Kokkos failed to turn up to an on-camera interview he himself offered, but in this and subsequent conversations:

- he denied smuggling illegal immigrants into Europe

- he denied any dealings with terrorists

- and he accused Romanian, US and Italian intelligence agencies of fabricating the whole story

NATO is currently looking for around twenty ships they suspect of terrorist links. All fly so-called flags of convenience. They allow owners to hide behind a corporate veil. The international seafarers' union says half the world' s merchant fleet uses them.

Since 9/11 and the Iraq War, maritime laws are bing urgently re-written to reflect heightened security concerns. For western governments, keen to close any gaps which let terrorists in, the story of the Sara has been a timely warning shot across the bows.

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GHANA THUGS TAUNT SECURITY AT PORT

LOCATION: GHANA

SOURCE CODE: TEMA

DATE POSTED: MAY 19, 2003

DRAMA IS unfolding at the Tema port, following the presence of two groups described by the head of security, Major (rtd) Asamoah Duodo, as thugs from Ashaiman and Nima, as both are trying to control the premises of the stevedoring company, Express Maritime Services (EMS). The head of security disclosed this at a meeting last Saturday with Ports and Railways Minister, Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi.

Present at the meeting, which was held at the offices of the director of Port, Tema, were officials from the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Police and the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI). According to him, some lapses at the port contributed greatly to this situation, which is now a big headache to the port authorities.

The modus operandi adopted is to obtain daily harbour passes for workers by some fishing companies under the guise of going to work on their fishing vessels, which are moved to the main harbour from the fishing port because of space and sometimes draft.

Instead of going to the specified destination, these people ended up regrouping at the gate of EMS thus posing a security threat at the port.

The presence of the minister at the port about 15.00hrs GMT was occasioned by a report of a possible clash by the ‘thugs.' According to the minister, after the stevedoring operational license of EMS was withdrawn by the GPHA as a result of boardroom difficulties, reports got to him that the problems were resolved. Upon that he, considering the plight of the workers, asked that the suspension of the license be lifted.

A letter dated May 15, this year signed by the director general, GPHA, Mr. Ben Owusu Mensah, reference D/G/Conf/V.43/064, was addressed to the managing director, Express Maritime Services, Tema.

Captioned ‘Suspension of license,' it stated: "This is to inform you that the suspension of your stevedoring license has been lifted, following a review of the situation by the authorities' board.

The directors of port are by a copy of this letter to allocate vessels to EMS to start work. Please arrange to clear your indebtedness to the authority and also ensure that your license is renewed by the end of May this year.

Meanwhile, whilst you are trying to solve your boardroom problems, we hope peace will prevail in the port as far as your operations are concerned."

Express Marine Services on May 15, this year, reference EMS/MDO/GPHA/008 despatched a letter to the board chairman of the GPHA, attention Alhaji Asoma Banda, under the caption ‘Committee to Steer affairs of EMS.'

The letter stated: "We the undersigned make reference to the meeting called at the instance of a three-man committee of the board of GPHA, made up of Alhaji Asoma Banda, Nana Asafo-Adjei and Richard Deih to discuss the restoration of the stevedoring license of EMS Ltd and at which meeting all the parties to the EMS court case were duly represented and confirm the following:

* It was accepted that pending the determination of the suit in court and to ensure that work of the company is in no way impeded, the day-to-day administration of the company be handled by the management staff.

*· It was accepted also that the said management team is to work under the direction of a committee of directors consisting of Messrs Kofi Dolphyne, Samuel B. Ackah and Steven Adjei-Acheampong.

* It was agreed further that any two of the said committee of directors shall be the signatories to the existing bank account and any yet to be opened.

For the avoidance of doubt, we confirm that the above decisions were arrived at without prejudice to the outcome of the suit pending before court.

Signatories were Samuel Bewell Ackah, Kofi Dolphyne, Dr. Michael Yaw Boateng, Nana Ofei-Nkansah (lawful attorney for Akuba Dolphyne) but Stephen Adjei-Acheampong's signature was missing. On Friday, the offices of EMS was reportedly opened by the Ackahs and the workers went in to service their equipment in readiness for jobs that are to be allocated as directed by the director general's letter. Soon after, another group, led by Mrs. Adjei Acheampong also converged at the gate trying to enter the compound.

Information got to the director general of the security threat and so by 5pm he informed the minister about the happenings and Prof. Ameyaw Akumfi gave an order for police to assist the GPHA security to maintain peace in the EMS yard.

The Railway & Ports police commander, Supt. Victor Adetor, told the minister that the head of security at the port, Major Asamoah, informed him the previous evening of GPHA management's intention to have police sack the workers from the yard close to the place and take over their equipment. According to him, he also informed the regional police boss but it was late, so the boss asked that the two groups be put before her.

When on Saturday they appeared and the authority's directives were relayed to them, the Ackahs said they could not depend on any verbal directives.

At about 2.30pm, the head of security operations, Prince Quashiegah, went to the yard of EMS to deliver a letter from GPHA to the Ackahs but they did not receive it for reasons not disclosed.

Just about the same time, a number of young men were dropped outside the port fence wall, opposite the offices of EMS, singing and hurling abuses at the Ackahs. That was when the minister arrived at the scene and went back to the office of the director of ports for the meeting. The Ackahs, when reached, claimed that some officials of the GPHA were behind the confusion on Friday and Saturday.

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MAN FOUND DEAD INSIDE KUWAIT PORT

LOCATION: KUWAIT CITY

SOURCE CODE: ONRIBAN

DATE POSTED: MAY 18, 2003

KUWAIT CITY, May 18: Kaifan police are investigating the death of an Asian man, identified only as R.K., who was found in a pool of blood inside Shuwaikh Port, reports Al-Rai Al-Aam daily. Personnel from the Criminal Investigation Department lifted fingerprints and several of the victim's Asian friends have been detained for interrogation. No other details were available.

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NZ PORTS UNITE OVER SECURITY

LOCATION: NEW ZEALAND

SOURCE CODE: NZHERALD

DATE POSTED: MAY 20, 2003

New Zealand's 13 port companies, unsure about what will be required of them in a more security-conscious world, have set up a group to work with regulators. The move came out of a quarterly meeting of port chiefs last week in Bluff to discuss public policy issues. The biggest issue on the agenda was security, said Barrie Saunders, an industry consultant. A working party of port executives will meet with the Maritime Safety Authority in the next few weeks.

The ports are concerned that efficiency gains they have made will be eroded by increased handling from security measures under consideration by a range of authorities. Expensive equipment for x-raying containers has been installed in some Australian ports, originally as party of an anti-drug initiative. It is not yet known whether New Zealand will follow suit.

Saunders said the working party consisted of senior management below the chief executives. It will deal with Government officials, particularly the Maritime Safety Authority. The authority said in April that a maritime security risk assessment would be carried out at every port.

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ECUADOR POLICE ARREST 9 IN COCAINE BUST

LOCATION: ECUADOR

SOURCE CODE: ASSOCIATED PRESS

DATE POSTED: MAY 21, 2003

Anti-drug agents have seized three tons of cocaine, police said Tuesday, in one of Ecuador's largest drug seizures ever. Police raided the massive cocaine cache on Sunday after a three month investigation, police chief Gen. Edgar Vaca said.

Vaca said Ecuadorean drug traffickers had gradually smuggled the cocaine by land from the Colombian border to this port city, some 170 miles southeast of Quito.

"They were only waiting to find a company to ship it," Vaca said, adding that the drug was destined for the United States.

Nine Ecuadoreans have been detained in connection with the bust, which is the largest in Ecuador since October 2001, when police seized 3.2 tons in Guayaquil.