The heightened terrorism alert in New York City reportedly has not affected business at the Manhattan offices of some of Bermuda's biggest international companies.

The Royal Gazette contacted the Department of Tourism, Bank of Bermuda, ACE Ltd. and XL Ltd., all of which have offices in downtown New York, to uncover the effects of the US government's announcement on Sunday that plans exist that target specific buildings in New York's midtown and downtown sectors.

The Department of Tourism's director of sales North America Richard Eve said: "We are always concerned about safety, but in terms of location, we're considered a distance from the Financial District (where the World Trade Center towers were attacked in 2001). The department's office is located on 42nd Street & 3rd Avenue in New York's Midtown East. The building is on the same block as the Israeli Embassy and just a few blocks from Grand Central Station, the Chrysler Building and the United Nations, though none of these buildings were named in the most recent terrorism plans.

Mr. Eve is a Bermudian based in New York and said that out of the 22 full-time employees at the 20th storey New York office, 20 are Bermudians.

Mr. Eve also said, due to the office building's location and security measures, the building is considered to be secure. In order to enter, one must present the proper photo identification, and any guests or visitors are met in the lobby and escorted into the building.

When asked if any extra security precautions had been taken at the New York office since Sunday's announcements, Mr. Eve said: "We take direction from the Mayor's office, which is in charge of the security in New York City. With whatever steps they deem to be necessary, we will follow through."

Mr. Eve also said, as a result of the terror alerts being raised to orange, the city's security has been heightened at key points within and leading to the city such as bridges, subways, and the specifically targeted buildings.

One of the biggest concerns during an emergency situation is communication, Mr. Eve emphasised, which was a major factor during the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. Mr. Eve said: "We ensure that we can establish some sort of line of connection in a crisis situation. We're in communication (with Bermuda) all the time, and most of the staff that is now in New York experienced September 11, so they know what could and what could not happen. If, in any event, we need to have some sort of heightened communication , we will use all means at our disposal."

Compared to the department's small New York contingency, Bermuda-based ACE Ltd. reportedly has at least four offices and several hundred employees in the Manhattan area, including New York's Midtown and Financial District. An ACE spokesperson could not specify for The Royal Gazette how many employees, if any, are Bermudian.

The spokesperson said: "ACE and its employees are very conscious of the current state of alert in the US. However, it is currently business as usual in New York, and ACE is approaching its affairs in the same way."

As is the norm in New York, strict security measures are enforced at the buildings in which ACE has its offices in order to monitor workers and guests who access the buildings. The spokesperson confirmed that security measures have been increased this week, as is the case for many buildings in New York.

The spokesperson said: "While the focus is currently on the US, ...the safety of ACE's employees throughout its global network is always of paramount concern. We are, therefore, vigilant about ensuring our employees are safe in all our locations so that we can continue to service our clients without disruption."

The Bank of Bermuda's New York office is located on Wall Street in the city's Financial District, several blocks east of the New York Stock Exchange. The Stock Exchange is one of the buildings in New York that was identified as a target in the terrorist plans.

The Bank of Bermuda's HSBC spokeswoman Kathleen Rizzo Young said: "The safety of our employees and customers is paramount to us, and we continue to monitor the situation closely. We have taken steps to enhance our security, but in order not to compromise those measures in any way, as a rule, we do not discuss them."

XL Ltd. had not responded by Press time.