Cablegate: Venezuelan Readiness for Isps Implementation

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

UNCLAS CARACAS 001505

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EB/TRA; ALSO FOR WHA/USOAS (CROOK-CASTAN AND
FERRAO)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EWWT ENRG ETRD ECON PHSA PREL VE
SUBJECT: VENEZUELAN READINESS FOR ISPS IMPLEMENTATION

REF: A. STATE 74894
B. STATE 82638

1. REFTELS REQUEST THAT POST INFORM THE GOV REGARDING USG
ENFORCEMENT OF THE NEW INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION
INTERNATIONAL SHIP AND PORT FACILITY SECURITY CODE (ISPS).

2. ON APRIL 29, THIS INFORMATION WAS FORMALLY CONVEYED TO
THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF
INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, WHICH COMMITTED TO CIRCULATE
IT TO APPROPRIATE GOV AGENCIES.

3. POST HAS ALSO PROVIDED INFORMATION ON ISPS TO STATE OIL
CORPORATION PETROLEOS DE VENEZUELA, S.A. (PDVSA), WHICH HAS
ALREADY STATED PUBLICLY THAT ALL OF ITS SHIPS AND PORT
FACILITIES WILL BE ISPS-COMPLIANT IN TIME FOR THE JULY 1
IMPLEMENTATION DATE. (SEE PDVSA PRESS RELEASE ON THE
INTERNET AT HTTP://WWW.PDVSA.COM/PDVSA PBIP.HTML.)

4. ON MAY 3, ECON SPECIALIST MET WITH AN OFFICIAL OF THE
GOV'S NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AQUATIC SPACE (INEA, ROUGHLY
MARITIME ADMINISTRATION EQUIVALENT). HE SAID ALTHOUGH
VENEZUELA MAINTAINS AN OPEN REGISTRY OF SHIPS, AND SOME SHIPS
ARE REGISTERED UNDER THE VENEZUELAN FLAG, THE VAST MAJORITY
OF SHIPS THAT USE VENEZUELAN PORTS ARE FOREIGN FLAGGED.
VENEZUELA HAS REGISTERED 458 VESSELS (OVER 500 GRT),
INCLUDING 275 BARGES, 63 BULK CARRIERS, 38 FISHING VESSELS,
25 PETROLEUM CARRIERS, 24 DREDGES AND TUGS, 17 ROLL-ON,
ROLL-OFF VESSELS, 6 SPECIALIZED CARRIERS, 5 CONTAINER SHIPS,
4 LIQUIFIED GAS CARRIERS, AND 1 SHORT-DISTANCE PASSENGER
SHIP.

5. WE WOULD NOTE THAT ALTHOUGH PDVSA OWNS SEVERAL LARGE
TANKERS WHICH SHIP PRODUCT TO THE U.S., MOST VENEZUELAN OIL
AND GAS PRODUCTION IS SOLD FOB TO INTERNATIONAL OIL
COMPANIES, WHICH ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SHIPPING THE OIL TO THE
POINT OF CONSUMPTION.
SHAPIRO

NNNN
2004CARACA01505 - UNCLASSIFIED

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