US Coast Guard Imposes Entry Conditions on Ships Coming from Haitian Ports
Effective June 22, 2026, vessels calling at Haiti's ports must document Level 2 security measures before entering US waters, Le Nouvelliste reports.
The US Coast Guard has imposed Conditions of Entry (COE) on vessels that have called at Haitian ports before entering US waters, effective June 22, 2026, according to Le Nouvelliste. A notice published June 5, 2026 in the Federal Register determined that Haiti does not maintain 'effective antiterrorism measures' in its port facilities, citing failure to implement the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code since September 2025. The decision places Haiti on a list of countries deemed non-compliant, alongside Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Libya, Nigeria, Sudan, Suriname, Venezuela and Yemen. Under the ISPS Code's three-tier system, the measure targets Level 2 (enhanced) security, requiring reinforced deck patrols, secured access points, intensified identity checks and searches. The Coast Guard requires each access point to be guarded with full visibility landward and seaward; armed guarding may be imposed. The determination cites Haiti's inability to prevent unauthorized port access and the introduction of weapons, plus minimal state control over vessel movements. Le Nouvelliste notes port zones face extortion and crew kidnappings — two sailors, a Turk and a Russian, were abducted May 1, 2026 aboard a vessel anchored in Port-au-Prince. The measure links to the May 2025 US designation of the gang coalition Viv Ansanm as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.