US embassy cable - 05BRASILIA825

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 000825 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR RENIGAR, DEMPSEY 
USDOC FOR 4332/ITA/MAC/WH/OLAC/JANDERSEN/ADRISCOLL/MWAR D 
USDOC FOR 3134/ITA/USCS/OIO/WH/RD/DDEVITO/DANDERSON/EOL SON 
COAST GUARD FOR MARIO MERCADO 
HOMELAND SECURITY CENTER FOR ICE OIA PAUL HAZELGREN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EWWT, ECON, ETRD, KSTC, PARM, PHSA, PREL, PTER, ASEC, BR 
SUBJECT: BRAZIL - COORDINATION AND OUTREACH ON MARITIME 
SECURITY 
 
REFS: A) SECSTATE 38874, B) 04 SAO PAULO 00792 
 
1. Maritime security issues are handled primarily by the 
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Immigration and 
Customs Enforcement (ICE) Attache in Brasilia, Julio Velez. 
Maritime security issues are coordinated with the Economic 
Section, the Foreign Commercial Service (FCS), and the 
Defense Attache Office (DAO). 
 
2. The Brazilian government entity responsible for security 
at both public and private ports is the National Commission 
for Safety in Ports, Terminals and Navigation Channels 
(CONPORTOS).  The commission is headed by the Ministry of 
Justice's National Public Security division (SENASP), and 
includes representatives from the 21 State Commissions 
(CESPORTOS), and the Defense, Finance, Transportation, and 
Foreign Relations Ministries.  There is some tension 
between CONPORTOS' responsibility over port security 
policies and the Ministry of Transportation and National 
Aquatic Transportation Regulatory Agency's (ANTAQ) 
responsibility over port operations and infrastructure in 
general.  The General Coordination of the Customs System 
Office (COANA) within the Federal Revenue and Customs 
Secretariat (Receita Federal) is responsible for all 
 
SIPDIS 
customs related inspections and security issues.  Guards at 
all ports are generally contracted through private security 
companies, however there is a residual number of federal 
Port Guards.  Security problems are reported to the 
Brazilian Federal Police.  The Federal Police also has 
Special Maritime Police (NEPOM) units located in Rio and 
Santos.  Maritime security issues other than those related 
to the ports are the responsibility of the Brazilian Navy 
and the Federal Police. 
 
3. The GOB primary point of contact for the DHS Container 
Security Initiative (CSI) is COANA.  The U.S. Coast Guard 
(USCG) coordinates their visits to Brazilian ports with 
CONPORTOS.  The DAO coordinates with the Brazilian Navy and 
the Federal Police when military ships are at anchor or 
alongside pier.  FCS coordinates its outreach activities 
with the CONPORTOS, the Receita Federal, port associations, 
and directly with port authorities. 
 
4. DHS is planning for a trip by seven Receita Federal 
officials to visit U.S. ports in the beginning of April. 
DHS implementation of the CSI program is pending the 
signing of a Declaration of Principles with the GOB, 
scheduled for the first week of May.  In 2003, DHS provided 
training on the CSI program to GOB officials, private 
sector companies, and other interested parties.  USCG has 
initiated a program to visit ports to review their 
compliance with International Maritime Organization's 
International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code; 
USCG is in the process of scheduling a visit to Brazil 
during 2005. 
 
5. FCS regularly contacts port authorities and associations 
to promote commercial ties.  On March 3, FCS conducted an 
outreach program in Santos on FCS services, ExIm Bank 
programs, and the GOB's tax incentive program for 
importation of port equipment.  In June 2004, FCS 
coordinated with the U.S. Trade and Development Agency 
(TDA) for a Port Security Orientation Visit in which 11 
Brazilian Port Authorities (primarily from private ports) 
visited U.S. ports.  In August 2004, FCS also organized, 
together with the Brazilian Port and Terminal Association 
(ABPT) the "First Port Security Seminar" in Rio de Janeiro; 
the seminar included training and an exchange of U.S. and 
Brazilian experiences in their respective implementations 
of the ISPS Code. 
 
6. Post does not have an established coordinating mechanism 
for maritime security, such as a maritime security 
coordinating council, but rather holds ad hoc, issue-driven 
meetings as necessary.  Communication and coordination 
among the USG agencies and the consulates nevertheless 
could be improved through a more formalized and regular 
information exchange.  Although both DHS and CONPORTOS are 
based in Brasilia, Brasilia is in the interior of the 
country, while the largest port, Santos, is located in 
region covered by the Consulate General Sao Paulo. 
Consulate General Sao Paulo has visited and reported on the 
Santos (Reftel B) and Consulate Recife recently visited the 
ports in Suape and Recife.  DHS and FCS are improving 
coordination to provide both security training and U.S. 
suppliers with an opportunity to sell security equipment to 
the GOB and private port authorities. 
 
7. Maritime security was included again in the 2007 MPP 
under the "Prevention and Response to Terrorism" 
Performance Goal, with particular focus on DHS efforts to 
establish Container Security Initiative Program. 
 
8. This cable was coordinated and cleared with DHS, FCS, 
and DAO, and reflects input from Consulates General Sao 
Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and Consulate Recife. 
 
DANILOVICH