Colombia Port Security Technologies and Vessel Traffic Management Information Systems

On behalf of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), Meridian International Center implemented an eleven-day Reverse Trade Mission (RTM) for a group of public and private port sector officials from Colombia in September 2011. The RTM showcased U.S. products, services and equipment in the ports sector including security, surveillance and communication that would improve Colombian ports’ operations and efficiency. The RTM included meetings and site visits with U.S. companies, government organizations, port facilities and trade associations in Miami, FL, Raleigh, NC, Washington, DC, and San Diego, Long Beach and Los Angeles, CA.

Walking tour of the Port of San Diego From left to right: Mr. John MacIntyre, Homeland Security Program Manager, Port of San Diego; Capt. Norberto Castañeda López; Mr. Juan Antía, Capt. Juan Carlos Acosta Rodríguez; Ms. Patricia Patiño Sabbagh

Group Picture on the Port tour of San Diego

Tour of the Port of San Diego From left to right: Ms. Leila Afas, Ms. Sunny Taylor, VP, Business Development, Cubic Global Tracking Solutions; Mr. Bernie Groseclose, Industry Specialist; Mr. Jim Hutzelman, Assistant Director of Community Services, Port of San Diego; Mr. Michael Jones, President, The Maritime Alliance

Dr. Felipe Targa Rodríguez poses on the boat tour of the Port of San Diego

Group Picture at USTDA From left to right: Mr. Juan Antía, Mr. Jacob Flewelling, Capt. Norberto Castañeda López, Ms. Patricia Patiño Sabbagh, Dr. Laura Isabel Valdivieso Jiménez, Mr. Nathan Younge, Ms. Sonia Cristina Uríbe Vásquez, Capt. Juan Carlos Acosta Rodríguez, Ms Isabel Sepulveda

Discussion with USG panel participants From left to right: Ms. Xiomara Creque-Bromberg, Regional Director-Americas/Eastern Europe, Ex-Im Bank; Mr. Bryan Picado, Supervisor, Supply Chain Security Specialist, C-TPAT, Evaluations Branch, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security; Capt. Norberto Castañeda López

Capt. Juan Carlos Acosta Rodríguez exiting a Rapiscan scanner truck

Rapiscan equipment demonstration From left to right: Mr. Juan Antí;, Dr. Laura Isabel Valdivieso Jiménez; Mr. Peter Kant, Executive Vice President, Rapiscan Systems; Ms. Patricia Patiño Sabbagh; Ms. Claudia Glen Vargas

Rapiscan scanner demonstration From left to right (top): Capt. Juan Carlos Acosta Rodríguez, Dr. Laura Isabel Valdivieso Jiménez, Mr. Juan Antía, Ms. Claudia Glen Vargas From left to right (Bottom): Capt. Norberto Castañeda López, Mr. Juan Miguel Durán Prieto, Mr. Jacob Flewelling, Ms. Sonia Cristina Uríbe Vásquez

At the Miami Business Roundtable From left to right: Mr. Jacob Flewelling; Mr. Eduardo Torres; Mr. Keith Silver, Commercial Officer, U.S. Commercial Service; Mr. Juan Antía

At the Miami Business Roundtable From left to right: Mr. Jacob Flewelling and Mr. Eduardo Torres, Director, South Florida, U.S. Commercial Service

Demonstration at the Port of Miami From left to right: Mr. Juan Antía, Mr. Richard de Villiers, Capt. Juan Carlos Acosta Rodríguez, Ms. Claudia Glen Vargas, Ms. Sonia Cristina Uríbe Vásquez, Dr. Laura Isabel Valdivieso Jiménez

Enjoying conversation after the Business Roundtable in Long Beach, CA From Left to Right: Mr. Juan Antía, Capt. Norberto Castañeda López, Mr. Jacob Flewelling, Capt. Juan Carlos Acosta Rodríguez, Ms. Patricia Patiño Sabbagh

Capt. Norberto Castañeda López giving a presentation on the Port of Buenaventura at the Business Roundtable in Long Beach, CA From Left to Right: Capt. Norberto Castañeda López, Capt. Juan Carlos Acosta Rodríguez, Ms. Patricia Patiño Sabbagh

Dr. Felipe Targa Rodríguez giving a presentation at the Business Roundtable in Long Beach, CA From Left to Right: Capt. Norberto Castañeda López, Dr. Felipe Targa Rodríguez, Capt. Juan Carlos Acosta Rodríguez

Discussing details at the Business Roundtable From left to right: Capt. Norberto Castañeda López, Mr. Jacob Flewelling

Group Picture at the Long Beach Business Roundtable From left to right: Ms. Patricia Patiño Sabbagh, Mr. Juan Antía, Capt. Norberto Castañeda López, Ms. Sonia Cristina Uríbe Vásquez, Capt. Juan Carlos Acosta Rodríguez, Ms. Claudia Glen Vargas, Dr. Felipe Targa Rodríguez

Group picture on the Berkley at the Port of San Diego From left to right: Leila Afas, Rhonda Sinkfield, Office of Budget Management; Capt. Norberto Castañeda López, Ms. Sonia Cristina Uríbe Vásquez, Capt. Juan Carlos Acosta Rodríguez, Mr. Juan Antía, Ms. Patricia Patiño Sabbagh, Ms. Claudia Glen Vargas, Dr. Felipe Targa Rodríguez, Port of San Diego Officials (5)

Mobile scanner demonstration at Rapiscan

Observing a mobile scanner at Rapiscan

Group picture at the Port of Los Angeles From left to right: Capt. Norberto Castañeda López, Ms. Claudia Glen Vargas, Dr. Felipe Targa Rodríguez, Ms. Patricia Patiño Sabbagh, Ms. Sonia Cristina Uríbe Vásquez, Capt. Juan Carlos Acosta Rodríguez, Mr. Juan Antía

Discussing security and interdepartmental communication aboard LA City Fireboat #2, Port of Los Angeles From left to right: Capt. Juan Carlos Acosta Rodríguez and George Serrano

Discussing port operations and logistics during a tour of the Port of Los Angeles aboard LA City Fireboat #2 From left to right, George Serrano, Fireboat Mate, Port of LA; Capt. Juan Carlos Acosta Rodríguez; Dr. Felipe Targa Rodríguez

Discussing maritime tracking operations at the Marine Exchange of Southern California From left to right: Ms. Patricia Patiño Sabbagh; Capt. Richard McKenna, Executive Director, Marine Exchange of Southern California; Capt. Juan Carlos Acosta Rodríguez; Dr. Felipe Targa Rodríguez; Ms. Claudia Glen Vargas; Mr. Juan Antía

Tour of the Port of Long Beach Command Center From left to right: Ms. Rhonda Sinkfield (OMB); Ms. Leila Afas; Ms. Gilka Rosenthal-Larrea(interpreter); Ms. Claudia Glen Vargas; Capt. Norberto Castañeda López; Mr. Michael McMullen, Lead Program Manager, Security Division, Port of Long Beach