By elaine van develde
Staff Writer
The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a general alert to area ferry operators to step up security to stave off terrorists at sea in response to FBI recommendations to combat terrorism.
"It was a general notice sent to ferry operators to keep an eye out for unusual activity and help with the homeland security effort," U.S. Coast Guard Chief Dave French said.
The commuter ferries are considered soft targets by the FBI, French said, because "terrorism is considered possible anywhere where there is a large concentration of people regularly." The ferries have also been considered soft targets because of the minimal number of routine checks conducted openly to determine whether explosives or other potential terror threats are being transported.
The measures to step up security on water-borne travel in the Raritan Bay from New Jersey shores to New York were not specified because "we don’t discuss the specifics. If we did, the purpose would be defeated," French said.
Still, there are two ferry operators in the area and they, along with area police and the Coast Guard, are keeping that close eye on ferries, their ports and their customers.
NY Waterway is one of those area ferry services. It operates out of the Belford section of Middletown at the foot of Main Street.
"NY Waterway works with the Coast Guard and other law enforcement agencies to provide the best possible security," Waterway spokesman Pat Smith said. "We do this all the time. It’s really something that the company has always been very much in step with even before the Coast Guard mentioned it. Of course, we don’t discuss specifics of what we are doing, because it would, naturally, defeat the security purpose."
The security measures, though, are stringent and in place, Smith added. They are just not visible and "shouldn’t be," he added.
Middletown Police Chief John Pollinger said that in addition to police being in constant contact with NY Waterway, "we’ve also put extra patrols in the Marine Unit on the area waters, not only to observe and keep the ferries secure, but to help keep an eye on the Naval Weapons Station Earle pier in Leonardo."
The Naval Weapons station is responsible for supplying the fleet with ammunition and fuel.
Earle recently stepped up its own security. Starting July 28, the Navy enacted enforcement of a new restricted zone in and around Earle’s pier complex which juts into the bay near the Belford ferry terminal and Gateway National Recreation Area’s Sandy Hook Unit.
Federal regulations were amended to "establish a restricted area in the vicinity of Naval Weapons Station Earle pier and its terminal channel (on) Sandy Hook Bay," a released statement from the U.S. Navy read.
The measure was taken to "enable the U.S. Navy to enhance safety and security around active military vessels moored at the facility and partly restrict travel in the area," the release continued.
The new regulations, designed to safeguard military vessels and United States government facilities from sabotage and other subversive acts, and accidents, extended the restricted zone already in place "by an additional 295 yards westward of the pier complex than the previous boundary that had been in place. For identification purposes, a new set of large, white (lighted) buoys have been interspersed along the demarcation line of this new restricted zone. Trespassers can be subject to fines up to $500 and receive a six-month imprisonment or both," the Navy release said.
Near and inside the boundaries of the restricted zone, two-men inflatable boats mounted with machine guns and manned by Navy personnel also patrol the area.
In addition to protective measures on water, Pollinger said his police department has stepped up security in the parking lot and terminal areas of the ferry in Belford.
SeaStreak operates ferries out of Atlantic Highlands and Highlands and has its own security measures in place in compliance with the Coast Guard edicts.
"We keep in close contact with the Coast Guard and local police to ensure optimum safety of our passengers," said Joann Conroy, SeaStreak spokeswoman. "We want them to feel at ease at all times. I think they feel very safe. That’s what they convey to us."