In December 2002, the diplomatic conference of the International Maritime Organisation, IMO, adopted a series of measures to strengthen maritime security and prevent and suppress acts of terrorism against shipping which included a new international ship and port facility security code, ISPS code. These security measures, which are intended to enhance maritime security on board ships and at ship-port interface areas, are due to enter into force from 1 July 2004 and there is no provision for an extension of this date.
In addition, in order to standardise arrangements across the EU, these new security measures have now been codified in a EU regulation on enhancing ship and port facility security, which has widened the scope of the IMO requirements to include class A domestic passenger ships by 1 July 2005 and all other domestic traffic by 1 July 2007.
The new security measures apply to passenger ships, cargo ships of 500 gross tonnes and upwards and mobile offshore units engaged on international voyages and the port facilities which serve these ships. These requirements outlined in the ISPS code provide a standard, consistent framework for implementing the new requirements. The code takes the approach that the practice of ensuring the security of ships and port facilities is a risk management activity and that to determine what security measures are appropriate, an assessment of the risks must be taken in each case.
The maritime safety directorate in my Department is currently involved in the process of co-ordinating the implementation of these new security requirements. The directorate is constantly in touch with the relevant ship owners, ports and port facilities affected by the EU regulation and ISPS code to ensure that they will all be compliant by the 1 July deadline and will therefore be in a position to continue to trade normally.
It is not yet known if any port facility or ship will be deemed to be non-compliant. All ports have now submitted port facility security assessments which are in the process of being verified and approved. The deadline for receipt of port facility security plans is 30 April 2004.
Most vessels affected by the new requirements have already submitted ship security assessments and ship security plan verifications will commence in mid April. As port facilities and ships will be required to have processes and procedures in place under their security plans for differing security levels and threats, it is expected that the introduction of the new maritime security measures will have the effect of increasing the awareness and the application of maritime security in ports, port facilities and on ships.
