Security is Major Concern Along Panama Canal

Broadcast: Jan 29 2003

 

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, authorities in Panama have stepped up security at their nation's ¹⁾transoceanic canal and they are now working closely with international agencies to coordinate¹ efforts to monitor ships and shipments passing their way. The heavy traffic through the canal makes for a daunting² security challenge.

The Panama Canal is a vital link in the world's commercial transportation system and anything that would disrupt traffic through its locks and channels would have a heavy impact on the world economy. Around 12 percent of U.S. seagoing commerce passes through the canal and it is heavily used by both European and Asian nations as well.

Officials of the Panama Canal Authority, which has been in Panamanian hands since the canal was officially turned over by the United States at the end of 1999, are working closely with the Panamanian government to protect the canal.

Juan Hector Diaz, director of security for the Canal Authority or Authority of Panama Canal cross Spanish, says he and his team are working to prevent any attack on what is clearly Panama's most important asset.

He said the canal is probably not as great a target for terrorists today because it no longer belongs to the United States and is in the hands of a small nation. Nevertheless, he added canal security officials and Panamanian government officials remain ²⁾vigilant³ and are working to improve security. He said they realize the importance of the canal to world commerce and the possibility, therefore, that it could be a target.

Keeping watch on the 80-kilometer-long waterway is a challenge in itself, but even harder is keeping track of the hundreds of ships and the estimated one million cargo⁴ containers that pass through the canal each year. Inspectors⁵ can examine only a small fraction of the containers and Canal Security Officer Sergio Rodriguez said they must rely to a great extent on the information supplied by shippers.

He said that canal authorities will be helped greatly by new rules approved by the³⁾International Maritime⁶ Organization. He said they will soon be able to track a shipment from its point of origin to its arrival at the canal and thereby⁷ minimize the prospect⁸ of dangerous or unidentified cargo passing through.

Another concern for international law enforcement as well as Panamanian officials is the number of ships registered in Panama, as well as the large number of seafarers who are licensed⁹ here. Panama has the world's largest merchant marine¹⁰ fleet, partly because of its comparatively lax registration¹¹ system. There are some 6,500 freighters registered in Panama and the country has also issued identification cards to more than 285,000 sailors and ship workers from around the world.

U.S. law enforcement officials worry that terrorists might be able to obtain seafarer cards, which allow their holders¹² to ⁴⁾disembark at a U.S. port without actually having a visa. There have been a number of recent cases in which Panamanian investigators¹³ have discovered officials taking bribes¹⁴ to issue licenses¹⁵ to unauthorized people.

But Panamanian officials say they are fully¹⁶ cooperating with the United States and other nations in the effort to prevent terrorism, not only at the canal's channels, locks and ports, but anywhere else in the world that the canal serves.

Greg Flakus VOA news, Panama City

 

1)    transoceanic [7trAnzEuFi5Anik]adj. 在海洋彼岸的, 横越海洋的

2)    vigilant [5vidVilEnt]adj .警惕着的, 警醒的

3)    International Maritime Organization国际海事局

4)    disembark [5disim5bB:k]v. (使)起岸, (使)登陆

 

1 coordinate   

adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调

参考例句：

• You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
• Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。

2 daunting   

adj.使人畏缩的

参考例句：

• They were faced with the daunting task of restoring the house.他们面临着修复房子的艰巨任务。
• Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect.开始一项新工作有时会让人望而却步。

3 vigilant   

adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的

参考例句：

• He has to learn how to remain vigilant through these long nights.他得学会如何在这漫长的黑夜里保持警觉。
• The dog kept a vigilant guard over the house.这只狗警醒地守护着这所房屋。

4 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

5 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

7 thereby   

adv.因此，从而

参考例句：

• I have never been to that city,,ereby I don't know much about it.我从未去过那座城市，因此对它不怎么熟悉。
• He became a British citizen,thereby gaining the right to vote.他成了英国公民，因而得到了投票权。

8 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

9 licensed   

adj.得到许可的v.许可，颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The new drug has not yet been licensed in the US. 这种新药尚未在美国获得许可。
• Is that gun licensed? 那支枪有持枪执照吗？

10 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

11 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

12 holders   

支持物( holder的名词复数 )； 持有者； （支票等）持有人； 支托（或握持）…之物

参考例句：

• Slaves were mercilessly ground down by slave holders. 奴隶受奴隶主的残酷压迫。
• It is recognition of compassion's part that leads the up-holders of capital punishment to accuse the abolitionists of sentimentality in being more sorry for the murderer than for his victim. 正是对怜悯的作用有了认识，才使得死刑的提倡者指控主张废除死刑的人感情用事，同情谋杀犯胜过同情受害者。

13 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 bribes   

n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• corrupt officials accepting bribes 接受贿赂的贪官污吏

15 licenses   

n.执照( license的名词复数 )v.批准，许可，颁发执照( license的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Drivers have ten days' grace to renew their licenses. 驾驶员更换执照有10天的宽限期。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Jewish firms couldn't get import or export licenses or raw materials. 犹太人的企业得不到进出口许可证或原料。 来自辞典例句

16 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。