Marine Link
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

Security Measures News

17 Jan 2024

OPINON: Tackling the Houthi Drone Threat with AI

OrcaAI CTO Dor Raviv. Photo: OrcaAI

Houthi rebel drone attacks on vessels traversing the Red Sea and Suez Canal route, accounting for 10% of global trade, have exposed the shortcomings of current ship alert systems.The unpredictability and increased frequency of these attacks have created a challenging security environment for ships passing the area via the Bab el Mandeb strait, posing a substantial risk to seafarers and maritime trade by endangering the safety of the crew and cargo.Initially focused on Israel-related ships in solidarity with Hamas…

03 Jan 2024

Dominguez Raises Concern for Seafarers at UN Security Council

Source: IMO

Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the IMO, addressed the United Nations Security Council at its 9,525th meeting reiterating his condemnation of the attacks against international shipping in the Red Sea.“Attacks against international shipping in the Red Sea area are not acceptable,” he said. “Ships must be allowed to trade worldwide unhindered and in accordance with international law.”Since the beginning of November, a number of attacks have been launched against international vessels navigating in the Red Sea which hosts around 15% of international shipping trade.

16 Oct 2023

Securing Federal Grant Resources for US Ports

(Photo: HDR)

Like many ports, the Alaskan Port of Homer faces aging infrastructure and capital needs well beyond the local funding capacity. The port is a key link in the supply chain for 47 remote, rural, disadvantaged or Alaska Native communities served by Homer, making proposed port infrastructure upgrades critical for shipping statewide as well as for the local community.Enter the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This unprecedented…

07 Oct 2022

Safety Concerns: Norway Inspects Europipe II Subsea Gas Pipeline to Germany

Norway has deployed a specialist vessel to inspect a subsea gas pipeline to Germany because of safety concerns after suspected sabotage last month on two Nord Stream pipelines between Russia and Germany, according to sources and data.Norway, Europe's largest gas supplier, last week put its energy sector on high alert, deploying its navy and air force to patrol offshore facilities and placing soldiers at onshore gas processing plants after the Sept. 26 Nord Stream blasts.The Havila Subsea, an oil service vessel equipped with remotely operated subsea vehicles, was deployed on Oct. 5 to survey the Europipe II pipeline that runs from the Kaarstoe gas plant in Norway to Dornum in Germany, Refinitiv vessel-tracking data shows.

25 Aug 2022

Port Canaveral to Add New Patrol and Pilot Boats

Photo of a security rapid response boat, similar to the vessel that will be  custom built for the Canaveral Port Authority (Photo: Life Proof Boats)

Port Canaveral will add a new security patrol vessel and a pilot boat after receiving federal grant funding for several projects to protect against terrorism and other security threats.The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded $472,500 in Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) funding to allow the Canaveral Port Authority (CPA) to purchase a new Security Rapid Response Boat. The vessel will be a 33-ft. “Life Proof” boat operated…

21 Jan 2022

KSOE & HHI Receive AIP for BV Cyber Managed Prepared Notation

The certificate was delivered to Won Ho Joo, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Officer of HHI, by Christophe Capitant, Country Chief Executive of BV Korea, at a ceremony held at HHI’s Shipbuilding Management’s offices in Ulsan, Republic of Korea. (Photo: BV)

Bureau Veritas (BV) has delivered an approval in principle (AIP) for BV’s ‘Cyber Managed Prepared’ notation to Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (HHI) and Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering Co., Ltd. (KSOE) for its vessel design.The maritime industry is growing ever more connected, with the majority of newbuild vessels today being built with integrated digital systems on board. While this increased digitalization enables ship owners and managers to collect data and exchange information with their vessels, it also leaves ships vulnerable to cyber risks, BV said.

08 Nov 2021

ClassNK Grants First CybR-G Notation for Cyber Secure Ship Design

Classification society ClassNK said it has granted Cyber Resilience-Guideline (CybR-G) notation to Tateshina, a new oil tanker built by Nantong COSCO KHI Ship Engineering Co., Ltd.(NACKS) for NYK Line. CybR-G notation represents that the ship design has incorporated cyber security measures in accordance with ClassNK’s “Guidelines for Designing Cyber Security Onboard Ships”, and that it is feasible for ship operation considering cyber security.ClassNK has released “Guidelines for Designing Cyber Security Onboard Ships” by compiling best practices for newbuilding designs of shipyards and shipowners, from the view of identifying computer systems to be protected from cyber attacks, and building a network to safeguard them.

10 Apr 2021

Future Prospects of Shipping COVID-19 Vaccines by Sea

© scaliger/AdobeStock

The lucrative prospect of transporting COVID-19 vaccines by sea has intensified the spotlight on the maritime industry’s cold supply chain and its ability to carry high-value pharmaceuticals.At present, speed to market is critical to stemming the spread of the pandemic, so the vaccines are being shipped by air to international destinations. Delivering them by sea is a longer-term strategy; certainly, the present urgency would have to calm considerably before enough confidence could be built to support delivery times in weeks…

24 Feb 2021

Future Prospects of Shipping COVID-19 Vaccines by Sea

The lucrative prospect of transporting COVID-19 vaccines by sea has intensified the spotlight on the maritime industry’s cold supply chain and its ability to carry high-value pharmaceuticals.At present, speed to market is critical to stemming the spread of the pandemic, so the vaccines are being shipped by air to international destinations. Delivering them by sea is a longer-term strategy; certainly, the present urgency would have to calm considerably before enough confidence could be built to support delivery times in weeks…

17 Feb 2021

IMO Urges Action to Deter Piracy in Gulf of Guinea

(Photo: IMO)

Enhanced cooperation and implementation of best practices are needed to avoid, deter and report attacks threatening ships and crew in the world's top piracy hotspot, says the United Nations' (UN) maritime agencyKitack Lim, Secretary-General of the UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO) expressed his deep concern about the escalation in the number and severity of attacks on ships and crew in the Gulf of Guinea region, and insisted on the need for a collaborative approach…

27 Oct 2020

The Real Life of Seafarers Like Those on ‘Hijacked’ Tanker Nave Andromeda

The suspected hijacking of the oil tanker Nave Andromeda off the coast of the Isle of Wight has captivated the press. While the heroic efforts of members of the Special Boat Service in resolving the situation have been highlighted, little public attention has been paid to the seafarers working onboard the tanker who were caught up in the incident.At around 10 a.m. on October 25 the captain of the Nave Andromeda set off a security alert reporting that seven stowaways onboard had turned violent and were threatening the crew after the crew attempted to detain the stowaways in a cabin. The vessel was several miles off the coast of the Isle of Wight…

21 Oct 2020

Cruise Industry Compliance Tips: Facial Recognition Technology

© Pixelmania / Adobe Stock

In the past few years, the commercial use of facial recognition technology has advanced at an explosive rate, expanding into numerous industries and trades. For instance, facial biometrics is increasingly relied on by airlines and airports across the globe; a similar trend is starting to take hold in the maritime industry, particularly the cruise sector.While this expansion is occurring, states and cities across the country—as well as the federal government—are attempting to enact strict laws regulating the use of facial recognition technology by commercial entities.

01 Oct 2020

IMO Hit by Cyber Attack

(Photo: IMO)

U.N. shipping agency the International Maritime Organization (IMO) said on Thursday its website and intranet had been disabled by a sophisticated cyber attack and its IT specialists had shut down key systems to prevent further damage.This is a crucial time for the IMO, which is responsible for regulating shipping and is currently working on ways to reduce carbon emissions from the sector, with a virtual session of its Maritime Environmental Protection Committee slated to take place later this year.The IMO said services had been affected since Sept.

20 Aug 2020

Senegal Port Seeks to Remove Stored Ammonium Nitrate

© Africa / Adobe Stock

The port of Senegal's capital Dakar on Thursday said it had requested the removal of around 2,700 tonnes of highly explosive ammonium nitrate stored in its complex—the same volume of the chemical that caused Beirut's devastating port blast this month.The unidentified owner of the stockpile has found a warehouse to store the industrial chemical outside the city, according to the general directorate of the port, which sits next to Dakar's densely populated downtown."He is currently working with the environment ministry to obtain approval to urgently remove this cargo…

31 Jul 2020

Maritime Security: Failing to Prepare is Preparing to Fail

© Denys Yelmanov / Adobe Stock

North America is historically one of the world’s safest regions for maritime transit and operations. Our data shows that of the 2,915 reported global maritime crime incidents that have occurred in the last decade, only nine of them took place in North America. This figure comes from a range of threats against both commercial, and pleasure craft vessels, primarily, attempted, or successful: attacks, suspicious approaches, illegal boardings, hijackings, kidnappings, robberies and exchanges of gunfire. This is what many of us boil down to the eye-catching buzzword “piracy”.

15 Jun 2020

Surge in Maritime Cyber Attacks Reported

© Denys / Adobe Stock

Maritime and offshore energy companies are facing a number of new challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. One of these is an increase in cyber security threats, reports Naval Dome, who says there's been a 400% increase in attempted cyber attacks in these sectors since February 2020.While an increase in malware, ransomware and phishing emails exploiting the COVID-19 crisis is the primary reason behind the spike, cyber security specialist Naval Dome says travel restrictions…

20 Jan 2020

Digitalization Key for Port Operators to Survive and Thrive

© Suriyapong / Adobe Stock

As the demand for goods continues to rise, the need to move a higher number of containers quicker and more efficiently is also increasing with this. As a result, port operators are proactively seeking new ways to boost productivity, all while reducing costs to meet this demand.The emergence of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is a significant factor in convincing ports to adopt new technologies to help them overcome the day-to-day complexities they face and not miss a beat in a fast-paced industry.

17 Oct 2019

Maldives Hosts Maritime Security Workshop

The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) is mandatory instrument addressing the safety and security of ships, ports, cargo and crew, says International Maritime Organization (IMO).According to the UN body, it contains detailed security-related requirements for Governments, port authorities and shipping companies to ensure preventive measures can be taken if a security threat is determined.Maldives has become the latest country to receive maritime security training from IMO on the ISPS Code, specifically for its Designated Authority (DA) and Port Facility Security Officers (PFSOs).A three-day workshop in Male, Maldives…

15 Oct 2019

UK Focuses on Safety of Navigation

International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s rules and regulations for suppressing unlawful acts against the safety of navigation can be seen in the wider context of the global fight against terrorism.The United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (UNCTED) carries out assessment visits to countries to assess their compliance with various international security instruments and UN Security Council resolutions.IMO took part in a follow-up visit to the United Kingdom (7-11 October) together with experts from Interpol, the World Customs Organization and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, particularly to assess the country's implementation of the special maritime security measures in IMO's SOLAS chapter XI-2…

30 Aug 2019

Maritime Security Workshop in Seychelles

Proper implementation of International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s maritime security measures is essential for trade.The Seychelles is the latest country to benefit from training on the implementation of SOLAS Chapter XI-2 and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, said the UN body.Participants discussed ways to cooperate at the national level to acquire the necessary support they need in order to take ownership of implementation and compliance with IMO maritime security measures. They also learned how to train other officials with similar responsibilities.The workshop which concluded today in Mahe, Seychelles (26-30 August) brought together Port facility Security Officers (PFSOs) and representatives involved in maritime and port security…

29 Aug 2019

India's Ports on Alert for 'Underwater' Attacks

Visakhapatnam port is a second largest port by cargo handled in India. (Image Credit: AdobeStock / © SNEHIT)

India's two main ports said on Thursday they had been warned by the coastguard and intelligence officials that Pakistan-trained commandos have entered Indian waters to carry out underwater attacks on port facilities.The Mundra Port, run by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd, and the state-owned Kandla Port had asked their employees and ship operators to be vigilant, port officials and the ports said in advisories seen by Reuters.Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated since India revoked the special status of its portion of the Himalayan region of Kashmir on Aug.

09 Aug 2019

Kenya Boosts Maritime Security

Proper implementation of International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s maritime security measures is essential for trade.Kenya is the latest country to benefit from training on the implementation of SOLAS Chapter XI-2 and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, informed the UN body.A national workshop in Mombasa, Kenya (5-9 August) brought together Port facility security officers (PFSOs) as well as representatives of all structures involved in maritime and port security, including Kenya Ports Authority, Kenya Maritime Authority, Customs, Kenya Coast Guard Service, maritime police, and several other port operators.PFSOs…

09 Aug 2019

MSCI Advisory Strait of Hormuz Precautions

This revised advisory cancels U.S. Maritime Advisories 2019-004 and 2019-008.1. References: U.S. Maritime Alerts 2019-004A, 2019-003A, 2019-002A, and 2019-001A.2. Issue: Heightened military activity and increased political tensions in this region continue to pose serious threats to commercial vessels. Associated with these threats is a potential for miscalculation or misidentification that could lead to aggressive actions. Vessels operating in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman may also encounter GPS interference, bridge-to-bridge communications spoofing, and/or other communications jamming with little to no warning.Since May 2019, the following maritime incidents have occurred in this region:Six attacks against commercial vessels (see U.S.

Subscribe for
Maritime Reporter E-News

Maritime Reporter E-News is the maritime industry's largest circulation and most authoritative ENews Service, delivered to your Email five times per week