Formal guidelines should be in place before the end of this year, once ratified by the IMO Safety Committee’s Intersessional Working Group on maritime security.
According to official sources, the aim of the move is to ramp up both security and safety standards on board in such a way that “expeditious clearance of ships, crews, passengers and cargoes” is greatly enhanced.
An IMO note obtained by Security Management Today reads: “The tragic events of September 11th have shown that security considerations should not be restricted to passenger ships and ferries, including their passengers and crew and related terminals. Security considerations should therefore cover all ships, persons on board (both passengers and crew), off-shore terminals and the whole port area, including port approaches, operations and persons ashore (ie port personnel or nearby inhabitants)”.
With such comprehensive aims in mind, the Working Group has developed proposals including the establishment of a draft International Code for the Security of Ships and Port Facilities – which should have a mandatory section. In practice, the Code would require:
- ships of 500 gross tonnage and above to carry security plans, plus a ship security officer whose responsibilities would include training;
- that company security officers are appointed;
- the drafting of port facility security plans covering areas with direct contact with ships (probably for larger ports only);
- reinforcing the need for port vulnerability security assessments to be carried out.
Other plans being discussed by the Working Group include the acceleration of a schedule for the mandatory fitting of automatic identification systems for all ships of 500 gross tonnage and above on all international voyages. Technical IMO sub-committees are also considering means for seafarers to alert both the authorities and other ships whenever a terrorist hijacking is likely.
The Navigational Safety and Maritime Security Section will also carry on the work of the Navigation Section of the Maritime Safety Division which it replaces – thereby continuing to bear responsibility for matters relating to acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships.
In addition, recommended practices for dealing with stowaways have been adopted as amendments to the IMO’s Convention on the Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic. Any ships leaving high risk ports are to be searched to defined standards.
Source
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