Coast Guard boosts security at foreign ports.

• Position: Security beat: homeland defense briefs - Brief Article

The Coast Guard announced a new program to help bolster security arrangements between the United States and its maritime trading partners, including annual visits by a team of U.S. officials and the permanent stationing of liaison officers to foreign ports.

The goal of the program is to ensure compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code, adopted in December 2002 and going into effect this July. The traveling team and liaison officers will share methods, give advice, and assess the host nation's interpretation of the new code that was enacted in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

The code compels every participating port facility to adopt new systems of ship verification and certification, and requires security plans and security officers in ports and on ships. Controlling access to the ships and...