The American Waterways Operators' (AWO) Model Vessel Security Plan for the American tugboat, towboat and barge industry has been approved by the United States Coast Guard. AWO developed the security plan after 9/11 to protect people and property and prevent vessels from being used as weapons of mass destruction. The Model Plan was developed in close consultation with the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by a special AWO Security Working Group. The Plan serves as a template for company-specific procedures to prevent terrorism in the categories of Awareness, Training, Personnel Practices, Planning, and Emergency Response. The plan lists both required and suggested actions to take, depending on the threat level, with regard to physical security, communications, and cargo.