News

Libya – Condition of entry into the US ports under the MTSA

14 April 2015 No.723

The Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (MTSA) has mandated the United States Coast Guard to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-terrorism measures in foreign ports and to impose conditions of entry on vessels arriving to the United States from countries that do not maintain effective anti-terrorism measures.

 

The Coast Guard evaluated the anti-terrorism measures in Libya and has decided that all Libyan ports were no longer maintaining effective anti-terrorism measures and, therefore, that conditions of entry were imposed to vessels arriving to the United States on or after 24 April 2015 from all ports in Libya as one of their last five ports of call.  The details of the required actions and the list of the countries which are subject to conditions of entry can be found in the attached “Port Security Advisory (2-15)” dated 13 April, 2015 issued by the USCG.

 

In addition, taking into the recent deterioration of the situation in Libya, the vessels required to exercise extreme caution, when calling at all Libyan oil terminals, particularly in eastern Libya, in being involved in potential violent and criminal activity by armed, non-state actors to engage in illicit export of oil.  UN Security Council Resolution 2146 authorizes the UN Sanctions Committee to impose certain measures on vessels attempting to illegally export crude oil from Libya, and imposes several restrictions on loading, transporting or discharging crude oil from Libya.  Further information on the UN Security Council Resolution can be found at :

 

http://www.un.org/press/en//2014/sc11325.doc.htm

 

Members, whose vessels are subject to the conditions of entry, are recommended to consult with the local agents about the required measures mentioned in the section C and D of the Port Security Advisory, and to pay careful attention to the situation in Libya.