The United States and The Bahamas sign Proliferation Security Initiative Shipboarding Agreement

NASSAU, Bahamas – On Monday, August 11, 2008 in Nassau, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Kirsten D. Madison and Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Bahamas T. Brent Symonette signed a bilateral Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) shipboarding agreement.

This is the ninth PSI shipboarding agreement signed by the United States. The Bahamas has the world’s third largest ship registry, measured by gross tonnage.

This agreement is an important indication of the Bahamas’ commitment to combating WMD proliferation trafficking and its readiness to ensure that maritime vessels flying its flag are not abused by proliferators.

The PSI shipboarding agreement will facilitate cooperation between the United States and the Bahamas to prevent illicit shipments by sea of weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems, or related materials. It establishes procedures for obtaining approval for boarding and searching vessels suspected of carrying such prohibited items while in international waters.

If a U.S. or Bahamian flagged vessel is suspected of carrying proliferation-related cargo, either Party to this agreement can request the other to confirm the nationality of the ship in question and, if needed, to authorize the boarding, search, and possible detention of the vessel and its cargo.

More than 90 countries on six continents are PSI participants, having endorsed the PSI Statement of Interdiction Principles.