Oleh: Mas Edy
On Friday, 31 July 2009
History
The IMO states that “The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code) is a comprehensive set of measures to enhance the security of ships and port facilities, developed in response to the perceived threats to ships and port facilities in the wake of the 9/11 attacks in the United States” (IMO)
Development and implementation were speeded up drastically in reaction to the September 11, 2001 attacks and the bombing of the French oil tanker Limburg. The U.S. Coast Guard, as the lead agency in the United States delegation to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), advocated for the measure. The Code was agreed at a meeting of the 108 signatories to the SOLAS convention in London in December 2002. The measures agreed under the Code were brought into force on July 1, 2004
Scope
The Code is a two-part document describing minimum requirements for security of ships and ports. Part A provides mandatory requirements. Part B provides guidance for implementation.
The ISPS Code applies to ships on international voyages (including passenger ships, cargo ships of 500 GT and upwards, and mobile offshore drilling units) and the port facilities serving such ships.
The main objectives of the ISPS Code are:
To detect security threats and implement security measures
To establish roles and responsibilities concerning maritime security for governments, local administrations, ship and port industries at the national and international level
To collate and promulgate security-related information
To provide a methodology for security assessments so as to have in place plans and procedures to react to changing security levels
