A table-top exercise on maritime security has been recently held in Kingston, Jamaica (30 June-1 July), organized by International Maritime Organization (IMO) in collaboration with the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC).
The exercise was aimed at stimulating discussions and demonstrating the need for cooperation amongst government departments and agencies using a range of evolving scenarios related to maritime security and maritime law enforcement issues.
Scenarios covered included threats to cruise ships, border security issues involving ports, airports and land border crossings, incidents potentially involving weapons of mass destruction, security-related health crisis, environmental threats such as oil spills, maritime safety inspections and dealing with illicit drugs’ consignments.
The event was organized to assist the Government of Jamaica in strengthening national implementation of aspects of UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) that fall within the scope of IMO maritime security measures, including those under SOLAS chapter XI-2 and the International ship and Port Facilities Security (ISPS) Code and the SUA treaties covering the suppression of unlawful acts against the safety of maritime navigation.
Resolution 1540 (2004) addresses the threat of proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, including illicit trafficking in nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, to non-State actors, their means of delivery and related materials.
The exercise follows a series of similar events in other countries in the Caribbean region, conducted by IMO and UNLIREC. IMO was represented by Javier Yasnikouski and a team of consultants.