Ports Security chief warns of threats, risks to shipping, tourism

SANTO DOMINGO. – Port Security Corp (CESEP) director Rear admiral Luis Lee Ballester affirmed Monday that security in Dominican Republic’s marine terminal has to be prepared to deal with the risks and threats posed to the 6,000 ships carrying the more than 1.5 million containers, and the around one million cruise tourists who come through its territory yearly.

“Our facilities receive 6,000 ships per year, mobilize nearly one million tourists, 1.5 million containers in import, export and in transit, hundreds of tons in bulk freight such as corn, soy beans, sugar, beans, wood, steel, fuels, chemicals, construction equipment and aggregates, machinery and vehicles among others marketed in local markets and abroad, representing an important contribution to the gross domestic product,” the official said said.

Lee spoke during the “Dominican Republic National Ports Security and Control Workshop,” hosted by CESEP and with the support of the Organization of American States (OAS), the Inter-American Anti-Terrorism Committee, the Canada Transport Ministry and the United States Coastguard Service, among other agencies.