Port Facility Security

General Principles

As reported in the MSC.1/Circ.1341, the term "Port facility personnel" means any persons employed or engaged in a port facility with specific security-related duties and all other workers identified in the PFSP (Port Facility Security Plan) without specific security-related duties. All of these require training or education and familiarisation in compliance with the international regulatory framework.

Port facility personnel are not security experts and it is not the object of the IMO provisions, guidelines and regulations to make them into security specialists. Port facility personnel should receive adequate security training according to IMO Model Courses 3.24 and 3.25 with the achievement of a training certificate. Additionally, the port facility personnel will be required to receive familiarisation from the PFSO at the start of their employment at the Port Facility. Training and education are necessary to acquire the knowledge and the necessary understanding to perform assigned tasks or achieve and collectively contribute to the improvement of maritime security. 

The categories of port facility personnel designated who have and do not have security duties are detailed in the approved port facility security plan. It is understood that security familiarisation training should be conducted by the port facility security officer or an equally qualified person. As a result of the International Guidelines uses the following expressions: port facility personnel "with designated security duties" to denote those having specific security duties and responsibilities in accordance with the approved port facility security plan; and port facility personnel "without designated security duties" is used to denote all other port facility personnel.

Port facility personnel without designated security assignments must receive training and attain proficiency to perform the tasks, duties and responsibilities listed below (reference column 1 of table 1.  of Annex, MSC Circular 1341):

Knowledge, Understanding and Proficiency for Security Awareness of PFP without Designated Security Duties:

• Basic working knowledge of maritime security terms and definitions.
• Basic knowledge of international maritime security policy and responsibilities of Government/Designated Authority, port facility security officer and designated persons.
• Basic knowledge of maritime security levels and their impact on security measures and procedures in the port facility and aboard ships.
• Basic knowledge of security reporting procedures.
• Basic knowledge of security-related contingency plans.
• Basic knowledge of security-related provisions for dangerous goods.

Recognition of security threats Basic knowledge enabling recognition of potential security threats:

• Basic knowledge of techniques used to circumvent security measures.
• Basic knowledge enabling recognition of weapons, dangerous substances, dangerous goods, devices and awareness of the damage they can cause.
• Basic knowledge of procedures for security-related communications.

Understanding the need for and methods of maintaining security awareness and vigilance:

• Basic knowledge of training, drill and exercise requirements under relevant conventions and codes

Those completing such training should receive documentary evidence to that effect to the satisfaction of the relevant SOLAS Contracting Government or Designated Authority.

Before being assigned to their duties, port facility personnel without designated security duties shall receive sufficient security familiarisation training to enable them to:

• Report a security incident;
• Know the procedures to be followed in recognising a security threat also concerning dangerous goods according to the IMDG Code, where applicable;
• Participate in safety-related emergency and emergency procedures.

Port facility personnel without designated security duties must therefore receive training in accordance with the requirements of the ISPS Code in accordance with paragraph 18.3 of part B and the IMDG Code  Part I, Chapter 1.4 in paragraph 1.4.1.5. The training aims to provide the necessary familiarisation to port facility personnel without designated security duties under the rules and provisions of international regulations.

Physical Security

The Port Facility Security Measures shall be applied at the port facility in such a manner as to cause minimum interference with/to; passengers, ship, ship's personnel & visitors or goods & services. This is what defined paragraph 14.1 of the ISPS Code in Part A. Regarding 'Physical Security'; an important part of security measures for the port facility, are set by the National Administration under the ISPS Code recommendations. They may set standards for the installation and maintenance of port facility security equipment, addressing:

• Fencing, gates, vehicle barriers and lighting;
• Closed-circuit television (CCTV);
• Communications and x-ray equipment;
• Archway and hand-held metal detectors;
• Perimeter/intruder detection systems;
• Automated access control equipment (e.g. identification readers or keypads);
• Information and computer protection systems;
• Explosive trace and vapour detection equipment.

Another important part of physical security are Restricted Areas. They are identified in the PFSP and they may contain the following zones:

• The coastal and coastal areas immediately adjacent to the ship;
• Boarding and disembarking areas, waiting and handling areas for passengers and on-board personnel, including research points;
• Areas where the loading, unloading or storage of goods and warehouses are carried out;
• Locations where security-sensitive information is stored, including cargo documentation; .5 areas where dangerous goods and substances are stored;
• Vessel Traffic Management System control rooms, navigational aids and port control buildings, including security and surveillance control rooms where implemented;
• Areas where security and surveillance equipment is stored or located;
• Essential electrical, radio and telecommunication, water and other installations;
• Other places in the port facility where access by ships, vehicles and persons should be restricted.

For restricted areas, specific procedures must be provided in the PFSPs to limit as much as possible access to these key areas for the port facility and critical from a security point of view. As provided in the ISPS Code, Part B, paragraphs 16.3.2 and 16.25, the port facility security plans shall include measures to prevent unauthorised access to the port facility, to ships moored in the facility and to the restricted areas of the port facility plant itself.

The Port Facility Security Plan establishes the perimeter of the port area subject to security measures to comply with ISPS regulations for the correct interface between ship and port facility. The PFSP also indicates restricted areas that are delimited by fences or other barriers according to national standards. The ISPS Code provides that all restricted areas must be clearly marked indicating that access to the area is restricted and that unauthorised presence within the area constitutes a security breach (reference: ISPS Code, Part B, paragraph 16.23). 

Security measures are established for the Port Facility Access Points to cover all means of access to the Port Facility. Procedures are envisaged for the control of people and vehicles accessing the port facility, as well as procedures for goods, ship crews, ship agency personnel, cargo surveyors, technicians and guests. In particular with reference to rescue teams, police forces, authorities or representatives of the welfare of seafarers (Union of Seafarers). The Port Facility Security Plan should establish control points that restrict access to exclude those not directly involved with the port facility's activities or who are unable to establish their identity. (Reference: ISPS Code, Part B, paragraphs 16.10 and 16.17.5).