BALLOONING port security costs need to be brought under control by imposing a measure of 'reason' to the exercise, the director of the world's largest cruise port has declared, writes Rajesh Joshi in Miami Beach.

Bill Johnson, a non-maritime 'problem solver' who was drafted in as the director of the port of Miami 10 months ago, told the Mega Ports for Mega Ships session at the Seatrade Cruise Ship-ping Convention that the annual security bill of $18m at his port bordered on the outrageous.

As part of a 'new course of action' being wrought by him as he seeks to hammer the problematic non-cruise aspects of the port, such as general cargo and security, back into shape Mr Johnson pledged to initiate a team effort where law enforcement agencies, both federal and local, would be drafted in as partners.

'We need these agencies to listen we need to impose some reason to port security [while not compromising security itself],' Mr Johnson asserted.

He expressed pride that Miami retained its premier position in cruising, logging 3.7m passengers last year.

Nevertheless, he identified burgeoning security costs, competition from other ports and infrastructure improvements as the three main challenges on which he planned to focus his attention.

On the last issue, he said an 'aggressive' effort was under way, the cornerstone of which was a $520m, seven-year capital investment project.