MARITIME
HOMELAND DEFENSE & FORCE PROTECTION PORT SECURITY SOLUTIONS The Global Leader in Maritime
Homeland Port Security Barrier & Buoy Protection Systems
The modularity
and the flexibility of the WhisprWave® erosion control technologies
led to discussions with the United States Navy and United States Coast
Guard about developing various maritime port security barriers and related
products for their Homeland Defense and Military Force Maritime Protection
needs. These military branches were impressed by the WhisprWave's®
commercial off-the-shelf availability*, marine engineering, product life
cycle and maritime roots.
*(Wave Dispersion Technologies, Inc.
had already invested millions of dollars in R&D and product development)
Maritime
Port Security Buoys
To facilitate the needs of the US Navy, US Coast
Guard, and other government agencies, the company developed the WhisprWave®
buoy line of Homeland Security and Force Protection Maritime Technology
Products. The unique characteristics of the WhisprWave® Homeland Defense
Buoys include mobility, marine grade design and off- the-shelf availability
for Homeland Security maritime zone demarcation applications, (a requirement
recently mandated by the USCG for all nuclear power plants post 9/11).
There are three primary configurations of the buoy: Marine Security Sign
Buoys ("MSSB"), Marine Sign Buoys ("MSB"), and Power
Plant and Dam Marker Buoys ("PPDMB"). These buoy configurations
can be modified to include safety orange modules, as seen in the photos
from NABLC, Norfolk, VA at the right. Three sided signs are available
for use on all WhisprWave® buoys to ensure readability from any direction
of approach, see the MSSB picture below.
Marine
Security Sign Buoys ("MSSB")
After the terrorist attack on the USS Cole in Yemen on October 12, 2000,
the USN became acutely concerned about the waterfront vulnerability of
their assets at international and domestic maritime ports. WhisprWave®
worked in conjunction with the USN to construct a mobile marine security
barrier for use at multiple locations. To facilitate this need, the company
designed the MSSB, a highly visible demarcation device capable of withstanding
the harsh marine environment yet lightweight for easy deployment and recovery.
Marine Sign Buoys
("MSB")
With the ensuing terrorist attacks of 9/11, Homeland Maritime Port Security
and Defense has become a very highly visible issue for the United States'
national homeland security and economic welfare. The physical marine port
security around commercial vessels in the US's busiest ports is especially
disconcerting. Many of these vessels contain hazardous and/or explosive
materials that could be prime terrorist targets. Various Port Authorities
have approached WhisprWave® to develop an affordable mobile marine
port security device to demarcate security zones around their commercial
maritime ports and vessels. To facilitate their request, the company designed
the MSB, a scaled down, cost effective version of the MSSB that is still
highly visible, durable, and mobile.
Power
Plant and Dam Marker Buoys ("PPDMB")
The terrorist attacks of 9/11 have also raised the concern for Homeland
nuclear power plant security. To mitigate this concern, the USCG has published
temporary final rules modifying 33 CFR Part 165 to establish temporary
security zones on waterways in the vicinity of nuclear power plants (33
CFR Part 165). The USCG is in the process of publishing final rules to
permanently establish these maritime security zones. The company has been
in discussions with several nuclear power plant security personnel, which
has led to the development of a low cost security device to demarcate
these security zones. The company designed the PPDMB, the smallest, and
most economical version of the MSSB, which is well suited for the recent
security zone requirement imposed by the USCG.
Maritime
Port Security Barriers
The company developed the WhisprWave® Force Protection Marine Barrier
Systems to assist in the demarcation of Homeland Security Zones and serve
as a physical barrier/"marine fence" to help mitigate the risk
of nautical terrorism. The flexibility of the marine port security barrier
systems allow them to be opened to allow authorized vessels to enter or
depart the maritime Force Protection Security Zone and then closed to
re-establish the security zone perimiter. There are four primary configurations
of the WhisprWave® barrier: Line of Demarcation ("LOD"),
Small Craft Intrusion Barrier™ ("SCIB™"), Vessel
Exclusion Barrier™ ("VEB™"), and Enhanced Vessel
Exclusion Barrier™ ("EVEB™").
Line
of Demarcation ("LOD")
To enhance maritime security zone protection beyond buoy deployment, the
company developed the LOD, a flexible barrier of closely connected WhisprWave®
modules. With the LOD, intruders cannot easily penetrate into the Homeland
Port Security Zone. Sufficient actions must be taken to enter it, giving
the First Responders adequate warning of a marine based security breach.
Small Craft Intrusion
Barrier™ ("SCIB™")
For increased Force Protection security zone protection, the company developed
the SCIB™, a solid barrier of WhisprWave® modules. The SCIB™
was designed both to demarcate the marine port security zone and significantly
impede hostile small crafts from penetrating it. For more cost sensitive
customers, the company also designed the Space - Small Craft Intrusion
Barrier™ ("S-SCIB™"), a more
economical version of the SCIB™ with fewer WhisprWave® modules.
More
Details
Rapibly
Deployed - Small Craft Intrusion Barrier™ ("RD-SCIB™")
For increased Force Protection security zone protection and greater flexiblity
for port operations, the company developed the RD-SCIB™, a solid,
yet movable barrier of WhisprWave® modules. The RD-SCIB™ was
designed both to demarcate the marine port security zone, significantly
impede hostile small crafts from penetrating it, while being completely
moveable and stowable when high value assets are not in port.
Enhanced
Small Craft Intrustion Barrier ("ESCIB™") The ESCIB™
is a combination of the WhisprWave Floating Breakwater, which is designed
for wave attenuation and a capture net. The floating breakwater provides
a significant platform for capture nets and also provides wave attenuation
with transmission coefficients for certain frequencies as low as 0.125.
Vessel Exclusion
Barrier™ ("VEB™")
To protect security zones from large vessels, the company developed the
VEB™, an augmented version of the SCIB™ with additional WhisprWave®
modules. The VEB™ has sufficient strength to withstand 1,500,000
foot pounds of energy over a 1.5 second period, capable of completely
stopping 30-foot vessels traveling at 40 miles per hour (35 knots) and
significantly impeding larger vessels.
Enhanced Vessel
Exclusion Barrier™ ("EVEB™") To facilitate additional security requirements,
the company developed the EVEB™, a VEB™ enhanced with additional
security devices including barbed wire and underwater nets.
MSSB during Assembly
MSSB
in Transit to Kings Bay Naval Subase
FORCE
PROTECTION & HOMELAND MARITIME PORT SECURITY
A few
closing thoughts from the maritime port security specialists at WhisprWave®.
If you
are interested in developing a physical maritime antiterrorism force protection
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 port security risks that are keeping you up at night.
You can
contact WhisprWave® via the following channels:
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.
