§ 70303. Security standards at foreign ports

• (a) The Secretary shall develop and implement a plan to assess the effectiveness of the security measures maintained at foreign ports that the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of State, determines pose a high risk of acts of terrorism against passenger vessels. In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of State about the terrorist threat that exists in each country and poses a high risk of acts of terrorism against passenger vessels.
• (b) If the Secretary, after implementing the plan under subsection (a), determines that a port does not maintain and administer effective security measures, the Secretary of State (after being informed by the Secretary) shall—
  • (1) notify the appropriate government authorities of the country in which the port is located of the determination; and
  • (2) recommend steps necessary to bring the security measures at that port up to the standard used by the Secretary in making the assessment under subsection (a).
• (c) The President is encouraged to provide antiterrorism assistance related to maritime security under chapter 8 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 ( 22 U.S.C. 2349aa et seq.) to foreign countries, especially for a port that the Secretary determines under subsection (b) does not maintain and administer effective security measures.