US embassy cable - 04CARACAS1505

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 
 

 
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      2004CARACA01505 - UNCLASSIFIED