This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MADRID 002605

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EB/TRA/OTP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AMGT EWWT ACOA ASEC ETRD ECON ETTC ENRG PARM PTER PHSA SP
SUBJECT: SPAIN: MARINE SECURITY PROGRAMS

REF: STATE 85792

¶1. SUMMARY: Per reftel request, we interviewed Spanish
officials regarding marine security programs. No single GOS
agency is responsible for marine security. Each regional
port authority is responsible to assure that ports in its
jurisdiction comply with International Ship and Port
Facilities Code (ISPS) protocol. Ports of State (or Puertos
de Estado), loosely affiliated with the Ministry of Public
Works, has been helping ready applicable ports for ISPS
compliance, although it is not directly responsible for any
port security issues. Contacts from the Ports of State
informed us that they were confident preparations for the 1
July deadline would be met, and that they believe the state
of port security in Spain is generally higher than in most
European ports due to Spain,s experience with homegrown
terrorist groups. Spain,s Merchant Marine is responsible
for ISPS and Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulations for
applicable ships. Additionally, the USG and GOS are
collaborating on several security initiatives. The
Department of Energy's (DOE) Megaports Initiative continues
to progress, with a DOE team arriving for a familiarization
tour of the Port of Algeciras in late July. The Container
Security Initiative will begin implementation in late July as
well when a USG-owned scanner will be lent to the GOS for use
in Algeciras. END SUMMARY.

SPAIN,S ISPS PLANS: PORT FACILITIES

¶2. The ports of Spain are implementing a series of port
security measures to comply with the ISPS. According to
Pedro Roman, Safety and Security Department Manager of
Infrastructures and Port Services Directorate, the ISPS code
only applies to 50 port facilities in Spain, known as Ports
of General Interest (or Puertos de Interes General). They
are designated as such because of their international
importance or volume of traffic. Ports of General Interest
are overseen by the Ports of State of Spain through 27
regional port authorities. According to Roman, only those
Ports of General Interest that receive ships carrying loads
greater than 500 gross tons and/or receive any international
passengers must comply with the ISPS. Each regional port
authority (and not the Ports of State) is directly
responsible for assuring compliance by all ports within its
jurisdiction. Roman reiterated that Spain's ports do not
have a true centralized management structure. Because of
this fact, there is no fully-coordinated port facilities
security plan. The individual port authorities will develop
their own security plans within the context of the ISPS code.

¶3. The ports that are not Ports of General Interest are
known as Autonomous Ports (or Puertos Autonomos). They
answer to the Ministry of Public Administration. Autonomous
Ports are generally not involved in international trade, with
the exception of specialized businesses such as shipment of
salt to France and Italy. They mostly service local fishing,
transportation, or commercial activities. Per Roman, these
ports are not required to comply with ISPS, and are not being
briefed on its requirements.

¶4. In an attempt to guide ISPS compliance efforts, Ports of
State has outlined the following steps necessary for
compliance to ISPS requirements for each Port of General
Interest:

-- Designate a port security officer, who must pass a course
on port installation security given by Ports of State,
-- Create a port facilities security plan. The regional port
authority that has jurisdiction over a specific port is
responsible for reviewing and approving its port facilities
security plan, and
-- Ports of State will evaluate each port, using a
computerized port security program that is currently under
development. This computer program is based on US Coast
Guard port security methodologies and relevant regulations.
Eventually, a classified port security computer network,
based on this evaluation program, will link all
ISPS-compliant Spanish ports.

¶5. Contacts from Ports of State were confident that
applicable ports would be ready to begin compliance
procedures for the 1 July deadline. Mr. Roman views this
deadline, however, as the date by which all of the ports
would start their preparations for ISPS compliance and not
necessarily be fully compliant with ISPS protocol. According
to the President of the Ports of State Mariano Navas,
preparations for ISPS compliance have been easier for Spanish
ports than other European ports, because of their already
heightened awareness of terrorist issues. Nationalist
terrorism has been a threat in Spain since the 1970's, from
Basque separatist terror organizations. Due to this ongoing
threat, the Spanish have protected their ports more than
other European countries, said Navas. Nevertheless, Spanish
ports still lack the equipment and training to combat nuclear
threats or track the shipment of illegally transported
nuclear materials.

SPAIN,S ISPS PLANS: VESSELS

¶6. Spain,s Merchant Marine is responsible for the security
of ships at sea and notification of cargo and personnel. As
with the Ports of State, the Merchant Marine is nominally
connected to the Ministry of Public Works. Per Roman, the
Merchant Marine will adapt its systems to comply with
chapters 5 and 11 of ISPS requirements on the automatic
identification system for ships. The Merchant Marine will
use these guidelines to check cargo and passengers, first by
use of a physical logbook, then by a computer system to be
installed at a later date.

MEGAPORTS INITIATIVE

¶7. The implementation of the Department of Energy's (DOE)
Megaports Initiative should increase Spain's ability to
protect against illegal shipment of nuclear or radioactive
material usable for terrorism by way of commercial traffic.
We are expecting a team from the DOE to arrive in mid-July
for a familiarization tour of the Port of Algeciras, where
the DOE is planning to install Megaports equipment and train
personnel. The Megaports Initiative Memorandum of Agreement
should be signed in late July, with a detailed technical
inspection and planning visit to Algeciras in late September
or early October.

CONTAINER SECURITY INITIATIVE (CSI)

¶8. Progress was made in early July when the GOS agreed to
accept the loan of a particular scanner for activation of the
CSI program in Algeciras. Various Department of Homeland
Security personnel are expected to arrive in Spain in late
July to participate in CSI,s Algeciras implementation.
Progress has been extremely slow, however, on the GOS tender
for purchase of a scanner for CSI. Ports of State President
Navas (who only recently has taken office), said that his
organization is still determining the best specifications for
Spanish ports.

¶9. COMMENT: Roman, the Safety and Security Manager of the
Ports of Spain admitted to being almost exhausted from the
effort that he has undertaken in moving Spain,s Ports of
General Interest toward compliance with ISPS. His
description of processes, and his clear delineation of his
responsibilities from those of other port authorities, made
it seem that he was looking forward to the completion of his
part of the ISPS implementation program. Additionally,
President Navas seemed interested in resolving the problems
surrounding procurement of scanners and training. We hope to
see movement on the tender by early autumn. End Comment.
MANZANARES