The United States Coast Guard has added Suriname to its list of countries whose ports are deemed to lack effective antiterrorism measures. Under the U.S. Port Security Advisory 4-25, issued on September 3 and taking effect September 17, vessels that have called at Surinamese ports within their last five stops will face conditions of entry before being allowed into U.S. waters.
The measures require ships to implement tighter security measures, including the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code Level 2, guarded access points, declarations of security and detailed reporting to U.S. port authorities. In some cases, armed guards may be authorized on board once in American ports. Suriname now finds itself alongside more than 20 countries already on the list, including Cuba, North Korea, Iran and Venezuela.
The announcement has raised immediate concerns in Paramaribo. On September 9, the new Supervisory Board of NV Havenbeheer, the state-owned port management company, met with President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons to discuss the issue. Chairman of the Board, Silvano Tjong-Ahin said, “Much more effort is needed in terms of paperwork and inspections to get to the US.”.
He stressed that resolving the issue will require both government action and port-level improvements with the Ministry of Finance and Planning taking on a supervisory role.
Tjong-Ahin said the Supervisory Board will consult with port management to identify bottlenecks and develop a structural plan. “We know that from 2028 onwards, enormous amounts of oil money will flow into our country. Our institutions must be ready for this, because spending money is a job for professionals, not amateurs. If you want to do it right, you have to ensure that institutions function well and that the governance of the entire country is strengthened.” he said.
“Once we have oil and gas, our economic life will be at a completely different level. Key institutions like the port will need a huge boost, because we want to meet global standards,” Tjong-Ahin said.
