Security Legislation

Collins to Speak At Maine Maritime Commencement

Maine Maritime Academy announced that U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) will address the graduating class at the college’s 64th commencement on May 5. Collins was elected to represent Maine in the United States Senate in 1996. Upon taking office, she was the first freshman senator ever to serve as chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Following her re-election in 2002, Collins became chairman of the Homeland Security Committee. The committee presides over the Department of Homeland Security and works closely with other Senate committees that deal with agencies such as the U.S. Coast Guard, Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection. She is also a member of the Armed Services Committee. In 2004, she co-authored the Collins-Lieberman Intelligence Reform Act, which represented the most sweeping changes to America’s intelligence community in 50 years. In October 2006, President George W. Bush signed into law port security legislation authored by Collins and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Washington). The Security and Accountability for Every (SAFE) Port Act became the first legislation of its kind to authorize an annual federal funding level to help secure United States ports against terrorism. Maine Maritime Academy has had a long association with Collins. She served in 1997 as the official sponsor of the training ship State of Maine

GAPS Act now heads to the Senate

Congresswoman Hahn’s Port Security Bill Passes the House.   Congresswoman Janice Hahn’s port security legislation has passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 411 to 9.  H.R. 4005 “Gauging American Port Security Act” or GAPS Act directs the Department of Homeland Security to conduct a comprehensive classified examination of remaining gaps in port security and prepare a plan to address them.    

Congress Passes Port Security Bill

Congress has passed the Security and Accountability for Every (SAFE) Port Act of 2006, the first legislation of its kind to authorize an annual federal funding level to help secure United States ports against terrorism. The bill, H.R. 4954, calls for $400m in federal Port Security Grant (PSG) funding for each of the next five years to help increase security in the maritime transportation system. Kurt Nagle, AAPA’s president and CEO

Government Update: Maritime Security and the Hazards of Unilateralism

The United States Congress is working hard to enact maritime security legislation. At the same time and under the leadership of the United States, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is working hard to develop an international convention on maritime security. There is little doubt that Congress will complete its task before IMO completes its mission. There is also little doubt that, in some areas, the U.S. approach will differ from that to be taken by IMO

From Canines to Liquefied Natural Gas

Maritime Security and the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2008 For the past several years, maritime security has been on everyone's mind.  From the halls of Congress to the longshoremen working the midnight shift, the threat of a possible terrorist attack on the maritime interests of the United States and dealing with new security requirements have kept this topic on the front burner.  While most in the maritime industry are relatively aware of the legislation that has been

NY & NJ Holds Waterfront Conference

On May 15, the Municipal Waterfront Alliance sponsored its second port-wide waterfront conference focused on the legal, environmental, infrastructure, redevelopment, commercial, transportation and economic issues facing the Port of New York & New Jersey. The conference took place in the Hoboken Terminal in New Jersey and the World Financial Center in New York City -- a short water taxi ride for the participants. The conference was attended by approximately 500 people, including 60 federal

Utile Maritime Legislation Enacted in Marshall Islands

'Financing Charters' may now be treated as 'Preferred Mortgages' — The Republic of the Marshall Islands passes Maritime Amendment Act (No. 1), 2013. The Republic of the Marshall Islands’ Nitijela has passed the Maritime Amendment Act (No. 1), 2013 – a legislative initiative of key significance to the international marine finance community. The first-of-its-kind legislation permits a “financing charter” to be treated as a preferred mortgage in favor of the

President Signs Combined Appropriations Legislation

The White House issued a News Release stating that President Bush signed into law the Transportation, Treasury, and Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 (H.R. 3058). The combined appropriations legislation provides funding for numerous programs, most of which are of little concern to the maritime industry. A few programs that are of concern will be noted here

Senator Calls for Enhanced Naritime security

Senator Biden (D-DE) said that he intends to introduce legislation creating a Homeland Security Trust Fund for full implementation of the 9/11 Commission recommendations. Among his specific goals is requiring 100% cargo container screening at US sea ports. source: HK Law

Hiring Armed Guards Should be Left to Government

 In the wake of an independent report recommending the Netherlands government to provide Dutch shipowners with better levels of protection against piracy, including the hiring of armed guards, Netherlands law firm AKD says that shipowners who directly hire armed personnel themselves could face criminal prosecution.   The so-called De Wijckerslooth Committee report was designed to assess the desirability and possibility of deploying private sector armed security to help protect