International Ship and Port Facility Security Code

ISPS Code being applied in Southampton, England, with signs prohibiting access to areas next to ships.

The cruise ship Sea Princess leaving Southampton harbor; fences are visible on the right, which prevent access to the ship under the ISPS Code.

The International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code is an amendment to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention (1974/1988) on minimum security arrangements for ships, ports and government agencies. Having come into force in 2004, it prescribes responsibilities to governments, shipping companies, shipboard personnel, and port/facility personnel to "detect security threats and take preventative measures against security incidents affecting ships or port facilities used in international trade."^[1]

History

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) states that "The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code) is a comprehensive set of measures to enhance the security of ships and port facilities, developed in response to the perceived threats to ships and port facilities in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in the United States" (IMO).

Development and implementation were sped up drastically in reaction to the September 11, 2001 attacks and the bombing of the French oil tanker Limburg. The U.S. Coast Guard, as the lead agency in the United States delegation to the IMO, advocated for the measure.^[2] The Code was agreed at a meeting of the 108 signatories to the SOLAS convention in London in December 2002. The measures agreed under the Code were brought into force on July 1, 2004.

Scope

The ISPS Code is implemented through chapter XI-2 Special measures to enhance maritime security in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).

The Code is a two-part document describing minimum requirements for security of ships and ports. Part A provides mandatory requirements. Part B provides guidance for implementation.

The ISPS Code applies to ships on international voyages (including passenger ships, cargo ships of 500 GT and upwards, and mobile offshore drilling units) and the port facilities serving such ships.

The main objectives of the ISPS Code are:

To detect security threats and implement security measures
To establish roles and responsibilities concerning maritime security for governments, local administrations, ship and port industries at the national and international level
To collate and promulgate security-related information
To provide a methodology for security assessments so as to have in place plans and procedures to react to changing security levels

Requirements

The Code does not specify specific measures that each port and ship must take to ensure the safety of the facility against terrorism because of the many different types and sizes of these facilities. Instead it outlines "a standardized, consistent framework for evaluating risk, enabling governments to offset changes in threat with changes in vulnerability for ships and port facilities."

For ships the framework includes requirements for:

Ship security plans
Ship security officers
Company security officers
Certain onboard equipment

For port facilities, the requirements include:

Port facility security plans
Port facility security officers
Certain security equipment

In addition the requirements for ships and for port facilities include:

Monitoring and controlling access
Monitoring the activities of people and cargo
Ensuring security communications are readily available

National implementation

Europe

Europe has enacted the International regulations with EC Regulation (EC) No 725/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 March 2004, on enhancing ship and port facility security.

United Kingdom

The UK has enacted The Ship and Port Facility (Security) Regulations 2004, these bring the EU regulation 725/2004 into UK law.

United States

The United States has issued regulations to enact the provisions of the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 and to align domestic regulations with the maritime security standards of SOLAS and the ISPS Code. These regulations are found in Title 33 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 101 through 107. Part 104 contains vessel security regulations, including some provisions that apply to foreign ships in U.S. waters.

References

↑ ISPS Code, Part A, 1.2.1
↑ World Cruise - Maximum Security - Cruise Ships Secure from Terrorist Threats

External links

IMO - FAQ on ISPS Code and maritime security

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