Port Security: ISPS

Port Security
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Institution:
Port Security
Resources Available to FSO for Detecting and Assessing threats in Maritime Operations
INTERNATIONAL SHIP AND PORT SECURITY CODE (ISPS)
ISPS is one of the resources at the disposal of Field Security Operation (FSO) officers to aid in detecting and assessing domestic and international threats in maritime operations. ISPS outlines minimum requirements that government agencies, ports, and ships need to obtain in preparation for handling and evaluating maritime threats (Ng & Vaggelas, 2012). The ISPS code prescribes various departments involved in the marine operations, starting from the governments, the shipping companies, the shipboard personnel, and the ports. The code is in two major parts, Part A, which contains mandatory regulations, and Part B includes rules that are not prescribed as compulsory. Proper implementation and enforcement of the ISP's code is projected to improve the security of both ports and ships as it has the potential of reducing illegal port and ship accesses (Ng & Vaggelas, 2012). However, the code still has gaps in it that need to be filled to improve its effectiveness.
One of the ISPS strengths is that it has established a common ground through which different international communities can unite in fighting insecurity in maritime as a single unit. The code has also increased awareness among various states about terrorism threats that arise from ships' vulnerability and other facilities in the port. On the contrary, cost of implementing the regulations prescribed in the code might be too high for poor countries to afford. Also lack of a common international low to guide on the implementation process is likely to derail the uniformity of regulations among the signatory states (Ng & Vaggelas, 2012). Lack of a common law among member’s states presents the opportunity for member states to enact an international law that all the members state will adhere to when implementing the ISPS code. Finally, considering that each member state currently implements the ISPS code in adherence to the states' specific law, confusion is likely to arise during the implementation process and, in return, derail the ISPS code's objectives.
SOLAS CONVENTION
The international convention for the safety of life at Sea, commonly referred to as the SOLAS Convention is a global maritime accord whose main agenda is to prescribe the minimum safety requirements needed for the construction and operation. SOLAS conventions are composed of various articles that outline the general obligations for its signatory states (Edition, 2012). In addition to the general responsibilities, the treaty contains 12 different chapters with regulations on various critical elements to port security, such as construction, fire protection, and radio communications. The rules outlined in the 12 chapters apply to different types of vessels except for chapter V, which requires every ship to be sufficiently and efficiently equipped and manned safety-wise (Edition, 2012).
Some of the strengths, weaknesses, and threats of the SOLAS convention include the following; First, the treaty, just like the ISPS codes, presents a common platform for the international community to arbitrate on port security in one voice. Secondly, the treaty aids in creating awareness on the global requirements security features that sea and water vessels should have, which is a good step towards dealing with port insecurity. However, one of the treaty's weaknesses is that not all the recommendations in its chapters apply to all vessels except the guidance in chapter V (Edition, 2012). Secondly, 35 states are signatory to the treaty but are yet to enforce the requirements law in their countries. Such a discrepancy presents an opportunity for the SOLAS convention's signatory states to make it a mandatory requirement for every member state to make SOLAS recommendations a law in their states. Without making the requirements a law, SOLAS requirements are likely to be threatened as some states might lack the strength to enforce the treaty recommendation.
CONTAINER SECURITY INITIATIVE (CSI)
Another official resource used to detect and assess threats in maritime operations is the Computer Security Initiative. This initiative was established in 2002, and it is a system of bilateral information transmission between the US coast guard and the host port of a country (Zhang & Roe, 2019). CSI requires the US coast guard to inspect containers in the host port before being transported into the US. The states that are part of the initiative are also allowed to do the same for containers in US ports before they are transported to their respective host ports outside the United States. Since the process entails the detection of threats, it opens room for the exchange of sensitive information between the parties.
One key strength of the CSI initiative is that it increases the buffer zone of detecting the threat in maritime operations as it makes the receiving ports the last line of defense and not the first (Zhang & Roe, 2019)t. Secondly, this initiative is vital as it improves containers' security and eases the trade between the parties involved. Once the US coast guards inspect the container at the foreign country port, the container does not have to undergo some intensive bureaucracy check at the US coast ports. Lack of substantial continuous surveillance of the container throughout the transit is likely to pose a threat as the container's contents can be changed d...