Port Security Overview

Port security improvements are needed due to the inherent vulnerability of ports to terrorist attacks. Ports are vulnerable because of their size, generally open accessibility by water and land, location to metropolitan areas, the amount of material being transported through them, and the ready transportation links to many locations within U.S. borders.

Since ports have many different transportation modes (e.g., rail, roads, & water ways), they are more open to terrorist attacks than many other areas. The large concentration of passengers, cargo, property, and businesses at or near ports make them potential targets. As a result, a major terrorist attack with nuclear, chemical, biological, or radiological weapons would result in extensive loss of lives, property, and business.

In addition, essential trade to the U.S. would be severely impeded. Not only would the port be affected, but so could the transportation infrastructure (bridges, railroads, and highways) within the port limits. The Brooking's Institution reported in 2002 that a weapon of mass destruction shipped by container or mail could cause damage and disruption by as much as $1 trillion.

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THE GLOBAL LEADER IN HOMELAND MARITIME PORT SECURITY

Wave Dispersion Technologies, Inc. (WDT) has developed the patented WhisprWave® floating articulated breakwater and barrier technology to afford and facilitate the port security needs of the US Navy, US Coast Guard, US Army, USACE, USBR other government agencies and commercial interests.

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Small Craft Intrusion Barrier™	Vessel Exclusion Barrier™	Naval Security Sign Buoy

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ISSUES INVOLVED IN IMPLEMENTING MARITIME PORT SECURITY

The Implementation of maritime port security is extremely difficult due to the immense area that needs to be secured. The marine areas under U.S. jurisdiction cover approximately:

3.5 million square miles of ocean
95,000 miles of coastline. Within this area, there are
361 public ports, and
118+ maritime port security zones enforced by the USCG

Source = The Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation - Hearing on Port Security

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PORT SECURITY FOR PUBLIC PORTS

The seaports are critical gateways for the movement of international commerce.

More than 95 percent of non-North American foreign trade (and 100 percent of certain commodities, such as foreign oil, on which the U.S. is heavily dependent) arrives by ship.
In 2001, approximately 5,400 ships carrying multinational crews and cargoes from around the globe made more than 60,000 U.S. port calls each year.
More than 6 million containers (suitable for truck-trailers) enter the country annually.
Particularly with "just-in-time" deliveries of goods, the expeditious flow of commerce through these ports is so essential that the Coast Guard Commandant stated after September 11:

"even slowing the flow long enough to inspect either all or a statistically significant random selection of imports would be economically intolerable."

U.S. Coast Guard Commandant stated after September 11

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PORT SECURITY FOR MARITIME PORT SECURITY ZONES

There are many naval vessels, cruise ships, nuclear power plants, and other potentially hazard facilities located on or near open water ways. These facilities are potential terrorist targets due to the highly visible and hazardous effects that would result from an attack.

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PORT SECURITY RISKS - TERRORISM

The tremendous flow of goods into the U.S. has made port security extremely difficult to implement. Drugs and illegal aliens have routinely been smuggled into the U.S. for decades, not only in small boats but also hidden among otherwise legitimate cargoes on large commercial ships. These same pathways are potential port security holes that can be exploited by terrorist organizations, or any nation or person wishing to attack the U.S.

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STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN PORT SECURITY

Port Security is a complex issue that involves numerous key stakeholders including:

Federal, State, and local law enforcement and inspection agencies

Port authorities

Private sector businesses

Organized labor and other port employees

Through routine port security and border control activities, the following Federal agencies seek to ensure that the flow of cargo, vessels, and persons through seaports complies with all applicable U.S. criminal and civil laws:

U.S. Coast Gary

Customs Service

Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services

The Federal role in port security extends beyond the three primary agencies to include agencies and offices in the following Departments:

Department of Transportation	Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Treasury	Department of Interior
Department of Justice	Department of Commerce
Department of Defense	Department of Labor
Department of Agriculture	Department of State

Additional Federal agencies involved in port security include:

Central Intelligence Agency	Environmental Protection Agency
Federal Maritime Commission	The Office of National Drug Control Policy
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative	National Security Council

The following federal port security agencies ensure that critical seaport infrastructure is safeguarded from major terrorist attacks:

The Department of Defense	The Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Transportation Security Administration	The U.S. Coast Guard

Source = GAO-02-993T Port Security

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DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL PORT SECURITY

PORT SECURITY AT U.S. PORTS

The U.S. Customs Service has several port security initiatives under way in the United States and elsewhere to help ensure the security of cargo entering U.S. ports. These initiatives include the following:

Inspecting containers and other cargoes. Beginning in the summer of 2002, Customs deployed new mobile gamma ray imaging devices at U.S. ports to help inspectors examine the contents of cargo containers and vehicles. Customs has adapted its computer-based system for targeting containers for inspection. The system, originally designed for the agency's counter-narcotics efforts, flags suspect shipments for inspection on the basis of an analysis of shipping, intelligence, and law enforcement data, which are also checked against criteria derived from inspectors expertise. These new efforts have adjusted the system to better target terrorist threats as well.
Working with the global trade community. Customs has also engaged the trade community in a partnership program to protect U.S. borders and international commerce from acts of terrorism. In this recent initiative, U.S. importers (carriers and other businesses) have entered into voluntary agreements with Customs to enhance the security of their global supply chains and those of their business partners. In return, Customs will agree to expedite the clearance of the members' cargo at U.S. ports of entry.

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PORT SECURITY AT FOREIGN PORTS

One of the U.S. Customs Service port security initiatives is to prescreen cargo bound for the U.S. at foreign ports. The U.S. stations inspectors at the foreign ports, to relieve the bottleneck of inspections slowing traffic at U.S. ports. The agency has reached agreement with the following nations:

Canada
The Netherlands
Belgium
France

The Coast Guard is working through the International Maritime Organization to improve maritime port security worldwide. It has proposed accelerated implementation of electronic ship identification systems, ships and port security plans, and the undertaking of port security assessments.

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TIMEFRAME FOR IMPLEMENTING PORT SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

The Coast Guard began a comprehensive assessment of port security conditions in 55 U.S. ports. A detailed vulnerability assessments of port security at these locations will be conducted over the next 3 years. The first four assessments began in mid-August 2002.

On June 4, 2002, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the "Maritime Transportation Anti-Terrorism Act Of 2002".

All vessels built after December 31, 2002, must be equipped with a position indicating transponder and an appropriate situation display for accessing the information made available by the transponder system. After December 31, 2004, all vessels built before December 31, 2002, must carry this equipment.

The Coast Guard published a temporary interim rule in June 2002, and will publish a final rule by November 2003.

On November 25, 2002, President Bush signed into law the Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) of 2002, Public Law 107-295, which contains several provisions intended to protect America's maritime community against the threat of terrorism without adversely affecting the flow of U.S. commerce through our ports.

On December 13, 2002, IMO issued the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code). The Code contains detailed security-related requirements for Governments, port authorities, and shipping companies in a mandatory section (Part A), together with a series of guidelines about how to meet these requirements in a second, non-mandatory section (Part B).

On July 22, 2003, the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation conducted an oversight hearing on the Coast Guard's July 1, 2003 interim final regulations on port security.

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PORT SECURITY IMPLEMENTATION

One of the first steps that the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) implemented was redeploying several vessels from offshore law enforcement patrols to port security at several major ports.The USCG then established new guidelines for developing port security plans and implementing port security measures for passenger vessels and passenger terminals. These included:

Access controls to passenger terminals,
Security zones around passenger ships.
Port Security Zones around moored cruise ships and other high-interest vessels, such as naval vessels and tank ships carrying liquefied petroleum gas.
The boarding or escorting of certain vessels to ensure their safe entry into ports.
Waterside Port Security Zones adjacent to large airports located near the water.

Three levels of preparedness have been developed as part of the Port Security Guidelines for Waterfront Facilities:

Level I: The degree of port security precaution to take when the threat of an unlawful act against a vessel or terminal - though possible - is not likely
Level II: The degree of port security precaution to take when the threat of an unlawful act against a vessel or terminal is possible and intelligence indicates that terrorists are likely to be active within a specific area or against a type of vessel or terminal.
Level III: The degree of port security precaution to take when the threat of an unlawful act against a vessel or terminal is probable or imminent and intelligence indicates that terrorists have chosen specific targets.

The guidelines also prompt port officials to implement specific security measures, including:

Source = Security Guidelines for Waterfront Facilities

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ESTABLISHMENT OF PORT SECURITY ZONES

The U.S. Coast Guard has established port security zones in all U.S. ports. The Coast Guard will screen all arriving commercial vessels. Port security measures will be imposed on an 'as needed' basis. Vessels must include crew and passenger lists, with nationalities for each person, with their Advance Notices of Arrival. Persons and vessels may not enter a security zone without permission of the U.S. Coast Guard.

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ESTABLISHMENT OF NAVAL VESSEL PROTECTION ZONES

The U.S. Coast Guard has established protection zones for a distance of 500 yards around all U.S. naval vessels in navigable waters of the United States. Vessels are to proceed at a no-wake speed when within a protection zone. Non-military vessels are not allowed to enter within 100 yards of a U.S. naval vessel, whether underway or moored, unless authorized by an official patrol. The patrol may be either USCG or USN.

In addition, each USCG Captain of the Port may employ any port security measures that he deems necessary to ensure the safety and security of the port. For example, the Coast Guard has required several facilities handling dangerous cargo to provide additional port security personnel and other security improvements. Facilities not addressing Coast Guard port security concerns may have their operations suspended or be subjected to civil penalties.

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PORT SECURITY THROUGH NOTICE OF ARRIVAL

Another policy change that will help increase port security without interfering too much with the flow of traffic has been an increase in time for a Notice of Arrival. The Coast Guard has issued a temporary final rule changing the 24-hour Notice of Arrival requirement for ships entering U.S. ports to 96 hours before arrival at the first U.S. port. New special rules apply for all vessels carrying dangerous cargoes and additional information is also required in the Advance Notice of Arrival. The notice must now include a listing of all persons on board, crew and passengers, with date of birth, nationality, along with the appropriate passport or mariner's document number. The Notice must also include the vessel name, country of registry, call sign, official number, the registered owner of the vessel, the operator, the name of the classification society, a general description of the cargo, and date of departure from the last port along with that port's name.

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FURTHER PORT SECURITY ACTIONS

Now that Port Security Zones and Naval Protection Zones have been established, the appropriate government agencies must decide how to demarcate these areas. It must also be decided if and what port security protection these areas should have.

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MARITIME PORT SECURITY

A few closing thoughts from the maritime port security specialists at WhisprWave®.

If you are interested in developing a physical maritime port security plan for a military base, a nuclear reactor, a fuel depot or other high value asset that is vulnerable to attack from maritime based terrorists, give WhisprWave® a call and let's talk about how we can help mitigate your maritime risks that are keeping you up at night.

You can contact WhisprWave® via the following channels:

Telephone: 908.273.3358

Fax: 908.668.0198

E-Mail: info@whisprwave.com

The team at WhisprWave® is confident that we can help solve your marine security problems, don't hesitate - CALL TODAY. WhisprWave® has the right port security technology solution for you.