[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 119 (Monday, June 22, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 35660]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-15325]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2015-0193]


Imposition of Conditions of Entry for Certain Vessels Arriving to 
the United States From the Republic of the Gambia

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces that it will impose conditions of 
entry on vessels arriving from the Gambia. Conditions of entry are 
intended to protect the United States from vessels arriving from 
countries that have been found to have deficient port anti-terrorism 
measures in place.

DATES: The policy announced in this notice will become effective July 
6, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about this document 
call or email Michael Brown, International Port Security Evaluation 
Division, United States Coast Guard, telephone 202-372-1081. For 
information about viewing or submitting material to the docket, call 
Cheryl Collins, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-
9826, toll free 1-800-647-5527.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    The authority for this notice is 5 U.S.C. 552(a), 46 U.S.C. 70110, 
and Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1(II)(97.f). As 
delegated, section 70110 authorizes the Coast Guard to impose 
conditions of entry on vessels arriving in U.S. waters from ports that 
the Coast Guard has not found to maintain effective anti-terrorism 
measures.
    On September 25, 2013 the Coast Guard did not find that ports in 
the Republic of the Gambia maintained effective anti-terrorism measures 
and that the Republic of the Gambia's legal regime, designated 
authority oversight, access control and cargo control are all 
deficient.
    On July 16, 2014, the Republic of the Gambia was notified of this 
determination and given recommendations for improving antiterrorism 
measures and 90 days to respond. To date, we cannot confirm that the 
Republic of the Gambia has corrected the identified deficiencies.
    Accordingly, beginning July 6, 2015, the conditions of entry shown 
in Table 1 will apply to any vessel that visited a port in the Republic 
of the Gambia in its last five port calls.

 Table 1--Conditions of Entry for Vessels Visiting Ports in the Republic
                              of the Gambia
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             No.                           Each vessel must:
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1...........................  Implement measures per the vessel's
                               security plan equivalent to Security
                               Level 2 while in a port in the Republic
                               of the Gambia. As defined in the ISPS
                               Code and incorporated herein, ``Security
                               Level 2'' refers to the ``level for which
                               appropriate additional protective
                               security measures shall be maintained for
                               a period of time as a result of
                               heightened risk of a security incident.''
2...........................  Ensure that each access point to the
                               vessel 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 Republic of the Gambia.
3...........................  Guards may be provided by the vessel's
                               crew; however, additional crewmembers
                               should be placed on the vessel 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 vessel's master and
                               Company Security Officer. As defined in
                               the ISPS Code and incorporated herein,
                               ``Company Security Officer'' refers to
                               the ``person designated by the Company
                               for ensuring that a ship security
                               assessment is carried out; that a ship
                               security plan is developed, submitted for
                               approval, and thereafter implemented and
                               maintained and for liaison with port
                               facility security officers and the ship
                               security officer.''
4...........................  Attempt to execute a Declaration of
                               Security while in a port in the Republic
                               of the Gambia.
5...........................  Log all security actions in the vessel's
                               security records.
6...........................  Report actions taken to the cognizant
                               Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP)
                               prior to arrival into U.S. waters.
7...........................  In addition, based on the findings of the
                               Coast Guard boarding or examination, the
                               vessel may be required to ensure that
                               each access point to the vessel is
                               guarded by armed, private security guards
                               and that they have total visibility of
                               the exterior (both landside and
                               waterside) of the vessel while in U.S.
                               ports. The number and position of the
                               guards has to be acceptable to the
                               cognizant COTP prior to the vessel's
                               arrival.
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    The following countries currently do not maintain effective anti-
terrorism measures and are therefore subject to conditions of entry: 
Cambodia, Cameroon, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, 
the Republic of the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Liberia, Libya, 
Madagascar, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Syria, Timor-Leste, 
Venezuela, and Yemen. This list is also available in a policy notice 
available at https://homeport.uscg.mil under the Maritime Security tab; 
International Port Security Program (ISPS Code); Port Security Advisory 
link.

    Dated: May 26, 2015.
Charles D. Michel,
Vice Admiral, USCG, Deputy Commandant for Operations.
[FR Doc. 2015-15325 Filed 6-19-15; 8:45 am]
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