Tough calls: U.S. Coast Guard demands tigher control on Madagascar visits

“The Coast Guard has determined that ports in Madagascar are not maintaining effective anti-terrorism measures,” says a Coast Guard notice in the Federal Register. “Madagascar presents significant risk of introducing instruments of terror into international maritime commerce.”

New security restrictions are applied to any vessel wishing to enter a US port if any Madagascan port other than Toamasina is included within its last five calls.

Under the new conditions ships must adopt ‘Security Level 2’ precautions alongside in a Madagascan port, says the notice. In addition, when such a vessel enters a US port, it is required to ensure that each access point is controlled by armed security guards who have total visibility of the exterior (both landside and waterside) of the vessel.