Nkili, experts discuss developments on ISPS Code

For a second time since 2012 in Kribi, the Ministry of Transport through the Autonomous Port of Douala (PAD) brought together experts and users of port infrastructure in Cameroon on March 9, 2015.

Overnight, members of this technical meeting reflected on how to put the national port tool in conformity with the ISPS, a universal abbreviation that means International Code for the Security of Ships and Port facilities.

Transport Minister Robert Nkili said that this time, the meeting on Kribi Port will first inquire about recent developments of the ISPS Code in the world.

Then, it will establish a State of play of its local application; before discussing the opportunities of Kribi and Limbe port projects.

Finally, the supervisory authority noted that these days will also be an opportunity to measure the impact of technological advancement such as the scanner in the surveillance of the ports.

The Cameroonian experience on the prevention of threats to maritime transport has made to implement, in conjunction with 25 African countries, an international Centre for coordination of the operations of security of the Gulf of Guinea following a Summit in Yaoundé in June 2013.

But since then, the context has largely changed. The participants are aware that, "a terrorist act against a port have consequences of enormous gravity, which may exceed the limits of a harbour place", according to the reflection of the Director general of the PAD, Emmanuel Etoundi Oyono.

In this case, however, Limbe and Kribi port districts under the control of the PAD and this last itself, are under good surveillance. "Our partners play relatively well their scores," Mr. Etoundi Oyono though satisfied, acknowledged some shortcomings and areas to improve on.

Pending new resolutions these days, actors in the sector may already be satisfied with the creation of the captaincy of the PAD, a specially charged cell of the ISPS Code.