PALM BEACH, Fla. While uniform federal standards and funding for
security improvements at the nation’s seaports remain under
development, cruise lines are working to secure their own vessels.
The need for federal funding to upgrade seaport security, however,
still remains a key theme repeated during the recent American
Association of Port Authorities convention, which drew more than
700 port representatives from the Americas. “We’re concerned about
ports in virtually every region of the U.S. They’re critical to the
nation’s economy,” said John Flaherty, the U.S. Department of
Transportation’s chief of staff. A breach of maritime security,
similar to the disruption of air service after the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks last year, would severely affect the nation,
Flaherty told convention participants. “You, as part of the
maritime community, must address the security threat,” Flaherty
added, urging port officials to demand increased funding from
federal officials. Conference attendees ranged from those
representing Florida’s largest cruise ports in Miami and Fort
Lauderdale among the world’s busiest to the St. Vincent & The
Grenadines Port Authority, whose leaders expressed concern that
cruise lines may bypass small, picturesque Caribbean ports for
better-funded U.S. facilities. Federal authorities are planning to
allocate an additional $125 million for security improvements at
U.S. ports, but officials say new funding falls woefully short.
Opposition to new taxes and user fees remains strong throughout the
industry, which maintains its core business in the United States,
the Caribbean, Canada and South America. More than 72% of cruising
takes place in the Americas, pointed out Richard Gehring, principal
of Prime Interests Inc., which develops management roles for port
authorities in Dunedin, Fla. Cruise ports have the potential to
earn $85 billion from the cruise lines between now and 2007, with
71,376 berths on 35 new ships under contract through 2004, Gehring
added. In June, the federal government handed out $92.3 million for
51 port security grants in the United States. The Coast Guard also
has formed four Marine Safety and Security Teams to combat
terrorism at ports, with three of the four teams at West Coast
ports: Seattle, Los Angeles-Long Beach and Houston. Meanwhile, new
international security measures are being settled, including
strengthening the current Safety of Life at Sea regulations, for
implementation by July 2004. Currently, the industry requires that
only ticketed passengers be allowed to board cruise ships and that
all luggage and carry-on bags be screened. Electronic photos also
are taken of passengers prior to boardi
