Security is Major Concern Along Panama Canal

Broadcast: Jan 29 2003

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, authorities in Panama have stepped up security at their nation's 1)transoceanic canal and they are now working closely with international agencies to coordinate 1 efforts to monitor ships and shipments passing their way. The heavy traffic through the canal makes for a daunting 2 security challenge.

The Panama Canal is a vital link in the world's commercial transportation system and anything that would disrupt traffic through its locks and channels would have a heavy impact on the world economy. Around 12 percent of U.S. seagoing commerce passes through the canal and it is heavily used by both European and Asian nations as well.

Officials of the Panama Canal Authority, which has been in Panamanian hands since the canal was officially turned over by the United States at the end of 1999, are working closely with the Panamanian government to protect the canal.

Juan Hector Diaz, director of security for the Canal Authority or Authority of Panama Canal cross Spanish, says he and his team are working to prevent any attack on what is clearly Panama's most important asset.

He said the canal is probably not as great a target for terrorists today because it no longer belongs to the United States and is in the hands of a small nation. Nevertheless, he added canal security officials and Panamanian government officials remain 2)vigilant 3 and are working to improve security. He said they realize the importance of the canal to world commerce and the possibility, therefore, that it could be a target.

Keeping watch on the 80-kilometer-long waterway is a challenge in itself, but even harder is keeping track of the hundreds of ships and the estimated one million cargo 4 containers that pass through the canal each year. Inspectors 5 can examine only a small fraction of the containers and Canal Security Officer Sergio Rodriguez said they must rely to a great extent on the information supplied by shippers.

He said that canal authorities will be helped greatly by new rules approved by the3)International Maritime 6 Organization. He said they will soon be able to track a shipment from its point of origin to its arrival at the canal and thereby 7 minimize the prospect 8 of dangerous or unidentified cargo passing through.

Another concern for international law enforcement as well as Panamanian officials is the number of ships registered in Panama, as well as the large number of seafarers who are licensed 9 here. Panama has the world's largest merchant marine 10 fleet, partly because of its comparatively lax registration 11 system. There are some 6,500 freighters registered in Panama and the country has also issued identification cards to more than 285,000 sailors and ship workers from around the world.

U.S. law enforcement officials worry that terrorists might be able to obtain seafarer cards, which allow their holders 12 to 4)disembark at a U.S. port without actually having a visa. There have been a number of recent cases in which Panamanian investigators 13 have discovered officials taking bribes 14 to issue licenses 15 to unauthorized people.

But Panamanian officials say they are fully 16 cooperating with the United States and other nations in the effort to prevent terrorism, not only at the canal's channels, locks and ports, but anywhere else in the world that the canal serves.

Greg Flakus VOA news, Panama City

1)    transoceanic [7trAnzEuFi5Anik]adj. 在海洋彼岸的, 横越海洋的

2)    vigilant [5vidVilEnt]adj .警惕着的, 警醒的

3)    International Maritime Organization国际海事局

4)    disembark [5disim5bB:k]v. (使)起岸, (使)登陆