Klaipėda Port – among the most diligent in Port security enhancing

 

On the 26th of October, 2005, the European Parliament and Council  with the aim  to enhance the security of EU ports and to implement the provisions of regulation No. 725/2001 „On Enhancing Vessel and Port Facility Security“ (ISPS) adopted the directive 2005/65EB „On Enhancing Port Security“. Following this directive EU members had to evaluate the security of their ports and to prepare Port Security Plans.

 

On the 28th of July, 2008, Klaipėda Port Authority signed the contract with American company  SAIC (Science Applications International Corporation) on preparation of Klaipėda State Seaport Security Plan. On the 10th of March, 2009 Klaipeda Port Security Plan was approved under the Order of  the Minister of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Lithuania.

 

This approved plan comprises actions and measures applied by State institutions controlling the port the aim of which is to prevent possible or existing threats in the Seaport: outer roadstead, port waters, port land territory, air space above Klaipėda port and other zones making impact on the security of the Port.

 

The European Commission inspectors that arrived with a visit to Klaipėda Port at the end of May of 2009 in order to perform inspection and evaluate how Lithuania had  implemented the provisions of the directive 2005/65EB „On Enhancing Port Security“ made no any remarks.

 

On the 23d of March, 2010 European Sea Ports Organization ( ESPO) submitted to its member countries the summary prepared by European Commission indicating how these countries had implemented the above mentioned directive while enhancing the port security.

 

Already in 2009 Lithuania was included into the list of 7 countries that had been performing the port security in the most diligent way.