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ISPS Code 9 Important and Must Know Elements
ISPS Code 9 Important and Must Know Elements
Know Elements
11th Sept 2001. Do you remember this date?
This, my friend, is
the date that had great influence on the way we operate our
ships. This is the date that led to the ISPS code.
I bet when you hear about ISPS code, you think about places like
Somalia and Nigeria. But security has been the concern for
shipping far longer than that.
In these cases, Master / SSO can show only the SSP section that
is required to prove the non-conformance as invalid.
2. Ship Security Assessment
You would like to ensure that your ship is not attacked. You have
responsibility to ensure that unauthorised persons are not able to
board your ship. how will you go about to achieve all this ?
You would probably want to identify all the access point of the
ship. You may want to brainstorm and identify the possible ways
your ship can be attacked. You may even want to assume yourself
as an attacker and think of how you can gain access to the ship.
Which are the key shipboard operations and areas that are
prone to security incident
For this reason, SSO must read the SSP thoroughly and preferably
make notes of key points specific to SSP of the ship he must know
at all times.
Whatever the SSO feel should include in the SSP which isn’t
included, he can mention that in his SSP review.
5. Security levels
Security Level 2
Security Level 3
Security level 1 requires minimum security measures and is the
normal security level all ships and ports are supposed to operate.
If the security level of the port is higher than the ship, the ship
must increase the security level to same as the port.
This means that in this case, the ship will have lower security
level but will have same security measures that are required as
per higher security level in SSP.
6. Declaration of security
As the name suggests, declaration of security is security related
declaration between two parties. One of the party is own ship and
other party can either be a port or another ship.
The question is when do we need Declaration of security and why
do we need Declaration of security?
Let us answer the “when” part first.
Ship is doing operations with a ship the flag of which has not
ratified the ISPS code and thus do not have an approved ship
security plan
For example we need to get the declaration from other ship that
they will monitor the areas around their ship and restrict the
access to their ship.
SSO should maintain the records of all the security drill carried
out on board.
8. International ship security certificate
The test procedure is given in the SSP. SSO must know this
procedure of testing.
Conclusion
ISPS code may not have been able to put an end to the security
incidents around the world. But it has surely given a framework
for deterrence in the security issues around the world.