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