Gov. Patrick on Yemen LNG tankers in Boston Harbor

BOSTON -- Gov. Deval Patrick stated he felt satisfied with the security measures in place for when tankers from Yemen carrying liquefied natural gas begin arriving in Boston Harbor later this month.

The Coast Guard’s decision to allow LNG tankers from Yemen into Boston Harbor comes despite concerns about the country supporting terrorists.

“I’ve spoken with the senior-most people at homeland security, and they have taken it all the way up the chain to the White House national security advisors. I think that everything that can be done has been done. They have taken a whole host of new and more intrusive security measures, and that is what all of us are looking for,” said Gov. Patrick.

Yet Boston Mayor Thomas Menino blasted the Coast Guard’s decision.

He issued a statement that read in part: "I am disappointed by the decision of the United States Coast Guard to allow the shipment of LNG from Yemen and believe that this is the wrong decision for the people of Boston and the metropolitan area. It is unreasonable and unsafe to continually put the interests of large corporations ahead of the security of Boston area residents and it is time to solve this problem once and for all."

The Coast Guard will implement supplemental security measures both when the ships are loaded in Yemen and when they reach Broad Sound.

"The biggest item is to make sure no one has access to the ship that should not have access to the ship. We also want to make sure no one has access to the underwater hull of that ship and we do that through dive surveys," said Capt. John Healey of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Healey added that tankers will be granted entrance into Boston Harbor on a case-by-case basis. Approximately two to three LNG shipments from Yemen are expected to arrive each month.

"These shipments will be as safe as all other shipments that come into the port. I will not make everybody happy in my decision. I realize that," said Healey.

House Speaker Robert Deleo stated Tuesday that he is satisfied for now with the Coast's Guards heightened security plans for the first shipment later this month. However, the Democrat added that he still has concerns.

"There has to be a balancing act, providing of natural gas to the area. At the same time, the safety concerns we have," said Deleo.

Several residential neighborhoods are within 50 feet of Boston Harbor.

"It's a bit a close, I feel," said one worried local woman.

"They know what they're doing. Commerce, we need it," contended another man.

The suspect in the failed Christmas Day plot to blow up a Detroit-bound flight on was reportedly received training in Yemen.

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