U.S. Coast Guard conducting security exercises in San Juan
The U.S. Coast Guard today is winding up a two-day multi-agency security exercise in San Juan, Puerto Rico that culminates with a simulation of a significant security breach at the Crowley Liner Service terminal in the Isla Grande section of the Port of San Juan.
The simulated event will give federal, local and industry representatives to provide a coordinated response.
Coast Guard officials said the objective of the exercise is to effectively implement security procedures, plus physical and operational security measures that would be needed after receiving information about a threat situation at port facilities.
Federal, local and industry responders will implement notification procedures, establish a unified command and validate roles, responsibilities and authority to implement protective measures that have been outlined in security plans.
More than 25 federal, state, and local agencies have been participating in the two-day event.
“Port security and the protection of our waterways is a very serious matter and a collective responsibility,” said Capt. James E. Tunstall, Federal Maritime Security Coordinator for the Port of San Juan. “This exercise will define our combined level of preparedness and our capability to work together in a unified way. It is an excellent opportunity to forge lasting working relationships with our fellow counterparts, to demonstrate our combined strengths and recovery capabilities, and identify areas for improvement.'