RUSSIA PREPARED TO IMPLEMENT INTERNATIONAL SHIP AND PORT FACILITY SECURITY CODE

MOSCOW, July 20 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is prepared to implement the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code, said Alexey Klyavin, deputy director of the Russian Transport Ministry's Department of State Policies in Rail, Sea and River Transport, at a press conference on Tuesday.

"Russia has no problems with implementing the code", he said.

The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code was approved by the International Sea Organization in December 2002 and came into force on July 1, 2004. The code adoption was stepped up by the 9/11 in the USA. The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code is to ensure proper security of ships and port facilities in terms of terrorist attacks.

"By now Russia has examined 95% of the ships", said Mr. Klyavin. According to him, international ship security certificates are issued to 1,256 ships out of the total number of 1,311 ships subject to certification.

At the same time, Mr. Klyavin pointed out that the international community was controversial about the code, since a lot of ports and ships had not received the security certificates so far.

According to the International Sea Organization's information, only 62% of the ships over the world have received the international ship security certificates.