GAO: CG stretched too thin to protect oil, gas

[unhappycamper]

GAO: CG stretched too thin to protect oil, gas
By H. Josef Hebert - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Jan 10, 2008 6:55:47 EST

The Coast Guard lacks the resources to adequately protect tankers carrying liquefied petroleum or crude oil from a possible terrorist attack, congressional auditors reported Wednesday.

The report by the Government Accountability Office said the Coast Guard is stretched too thin in some cases “to meet its own self-imposed security standards such as escorting ships carrying liquefied natural gas.”

Also, said the report, some ports visited by the government auditors did not have the resources needed to promptly respond to a terrorist attack on a crude oil or liquefied natural gas tanker, including a shortage of fire boats and inadequately trained people.

The GAO report said past incidents overseas have shown that fuel-carrying tankers are significant terrorist targets, with the biggest concern being a suicide attack. The report cited the 2002 suicide boat attack on a tanker off the coast of Yemen.

While the GAO cited no specific terrorist threat to a vessel or U.S. port, the report said “the threat of seaboard terrorist attacks on maritime energy tankers and infrastructure is likely to persist,” with the greatest risks at shipping chokepoints far from U.S. shores.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/01/ap_stretchedcoastguard_080110/



uhc comment: The GAO notes 'a lack of resources has hindered some Coast Guard units from meeting their security duties'.