Security Infrastructure News

A report into the security of Western Australia's supply chains has recommended policy and regulatory reforms to support Australian-owned shipping lines competing for domestic sea-freight work.The recommendation has been made in a report by the Western Australian (WA) Government's Shipping and Supply Chain Taskforce. Co-chaired by Kyle McGinn and Jessica Stojkovski, the Taskforce was established following the floods in South Australia in early 2022 that cut off supplies of essential…

The Port of Redwood City said it will invest approximately $2.5 million of Port Security Grant Program funding to develop a new fire and police boat dock, which will serve as the home base for emergency vessels.The development of a new boat dock further supports the Redwood City, Calif. port's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Federal Staging Area (FSA) designation.The Port Security Grant Program funding enables the port to support interagency operations, enhance training exercises and fund security infrastructure such as cameras…

Canada’s Arctic warming at three times the global rate, permafrost melting 70 years ahead of predictions, the worst polar wildfire season on record.To counter bad news on northern climate-change,  plans have now moved forward to protect Tuvaijuittuq. Meaning “the ice never melts” in Inuktitut, it’s a globally important area in the Canadian High Arctic almost the size of Germany.The Qikiqtani Inuit Association, working with the governments of Canada and Nunavut, has led the charge to make Tuvaijuittuq a 322,000 sq. km interim Marine Protected Area with an impact benefit agreement that delivers on their promise of a conservation economy…

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA)  identified nearly $4 billion in crucial port and supply chain security needs over the next 10 years.That funding level is what’s needed to maintain and upgrade America’s port facilities and ensure they are properly equipped to address new and evolving security challenges, said AAPA in the latest report in its “The State of Freight” infrastructure series.“The State of Freight IV” is the fourth report in as many years, conducted by AAPA, to highlight the needs of America’s deep-draft commercial public ports to effectively move goods into and out of their facilities by land and water.The…

BIMCO has launched SmartCon, a new solution for editing contracts that is designed to make contractual work easier and more secure. “SmartCon is a brand-new approach to contract editing, we believe that it will significantly ease the work life of our current users and will attract new users to BIMCO’s contract universe,” said Grant Hunter, Head of Contracts and Clauses at BIMCO. The key innovation in SmartCon is that the features are built into a Word document, which will integrate and merge seamlessly with the normal workflow of shipping professionals and legal staff.

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside has assured Nigerians and the international maritime community that the Federal Government is actively working to keep the menace of piracy and other illicit crimes in check on the nation’s territorial waterways. In this case the word are backed by action and investment, as the Nigerian government has approved the procurement of three helicopters and 12 fast intervention…

Annual cargo volumes at the Port of New York and New Jersey beat the previous record by more than 10 percent, according to figures released by the port. The port said it handled 6,371,720 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) (or 3,664,013 cargo containers) in 2015, an increase of 10.4 percent over the previous record set in 2014, allowing the port to maintain its position as the busiest on the East Coast with nearly 30 percent of the nation’s total market share. Despite the increases in cargo…

The U.S. Coast Guard released a proposed acquisition timeline and requirements for two new heavy U.S. icebreakers that could cost $1 billion each and said it would meet with interested companies during an industry day in March. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Paul Zukunft told an event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies that notice was intended to get information from companies about their ability to build and develop icebreakers that would be in use for 40 years and to explore options such as leasing.

INS 'Sardar Patel', India's latest Naval establishment was commissioned at Porbandar in the Saurashtra region by Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel. The strategically important new Naval base, named after India's first Home Minister Vallabhbhai Patel, would be a key frontal base supporting ships, submarines and aircraft of Western Naval Command operating along the 1,600-km-long coastline of Gujarat. Anandiben unveiled the plaque and read the commissioning warrant of the new base, second in the state, after INS Dwarka near Okha. INS Sardar Patel is a strategic forward operating naval base in Gujarat and would simultaneously provide vital logistical and administrative support for all "colocated units in Gujarat area", said Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Robin Dhowan.

In applauding Congress’ passage late yesterday of the $1.1 trillion Consolidated Appropriation Act of 2014, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) noted that several high priority programs crucial to the safe, efficient and competitive operation of American seaports are included in the appropriations mix. This includes funding for U.S. DOT’s Transportation Infrastructure Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) discretionary grants, U.S. Corps of Engineers’ navigation-related programs…

Security Dynamics LLC, a global security and risk management advisory firm, added three new Senior Advisors to its team of Subject Matter Experts. The news was announced by Kim E. Petersen, the firm’s Chairman and President. The new Senior Advisors will compliment Security Dynamics’ current team of experts bringing with them decades of career experience in intelligence, homeland security, infrastructure protection, intermodal transportation security and law enforcement training.

Two recent reports have raised alarms about the security of our ports and the cargo that enters them by containers every day. The top North American container ports handle more than 35 million containers per year bringing vital goods to U.S. homes and companies every day. Without this freight, our economy would be at a standstill. But one nuclear device placed into a shipping container could wreak havoc not just at the port it enters, but also with the surrounding population of our busiest ports such as New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, and Long Beach.

MTN Satellite Communications launched MTN Nexus, a next-generation comms network billed as a hybrid that integrates it with new terrestrial wireless technologies as well as sophisticated computing, powerful processing and specialized optimization. Targeting the high volume cruise sector, MR thought an apt time to sit down with CEO Errol Olivier to discuss Nexus and its relevance to communications at sea. We understand you are a maritime satcom industry veteran. Can you give our readers a briefing on your background serving this market?

With the release of President Obama’s fiscal 2013 budget, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) expressed both accolades, and some disappointment, over various aspects of the budget pertaining to ports and the efficient and secure movement of freight. Kurt Nagle, AAPA’s president and CEO, said that, even though the Administration’s budget includes cuts in order to meet the Budget Control Act passed by Congress last year, there are bright spots for seaports, such as a much-needed increase in the portion of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ funding pertaining to deep-draft navigation maintenance, and funding for the Department of Transportation’s budget that pertains to enhancing America’s freight mobility.

The Global Maritime and Transportation School at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy along with co-sponsor American Military University will convene its second annual Piracy Countermeasure Seminar on June 23 and June 24. The seminar will take place aboard the Academy’s scenic waterfront campus conveniently located in Kings Point, N.Y. on the North Shore of Long Island just outside of New York City. This two day seminar offers practical analysis of the maritime industry’s newest, best practices as well as proven seaborne preventive steps developed in response to current piracy operations off Somalia and other choke points and piracy hot spots around the globe. The first day will examine piracy’s socio-economic, business and political dynamic.

Orsus(R) announced that the Virginia Port Authority has initiated a project to leverage Orsus' Situator(TM) to monitor visitors without the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC). The program, being called Trusted Agent by the Virginia Port Authority, allows trusted visitors access to secure areas of the Port by providing them with a Nextel Sprint phone equipped with a radio and navigational system from Xora Co. When paired up with Situator from Orsus, it provides Command Center operators with the ability to track and monitor their whereabouts on Port property and directly contact them. The Virginia Port Authority came up with this solution after recognizing the challenges posed by TWIC requirements.

Lockheed Martin will provide an extension to the Greek National Vessel Traffic Management Information System (VTMIS) under a $1 million sub-contract from the Hellenic Telecommunications & Electronics industry, INTRACOM. The extension will support the country’s port security infrastructure for the 2004 Olympic Games. The Games are expected to bring 16,000 athletes and more than four million spectators to Greece. Numerous spectators are expected to move daily through the ferry ports of Rafina and Lavrio, located on the east coast of the Greek peninsula, which will be equipped with new regional Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) monitoring centers. Lockheed Martin will provide two radar systems to help monitor the waterway during the Olympic Games.

The Port of Houston Authority (PHA) commission will consider several recommendations involving contract awards, bids and proposals, professional services and general administrative and operational matters during its meeting at 2 p.m. Barbours Cut Boulevard (off Highway 146) in LaPorte, Texas. Jim Edmonds will preside over the meeting, which is open to the public. TRC-ECON Capital, L.P. for security infrastructure enhancements. enhancements. first security management system (SMS) at a U.S. port. to PHA's environmental management system. services over a two-year period at an estimated cost of $45,000. terminals at the Barbours Cut Container facility. fire protection, pavement striping and other utility adjustments. and $2.9 million. $69,691 contract to R.W. Patrick and Associates, Inc.

Computer Associates International, Inc. (CA) announced that Fincantieri has implemented Unicenter Network and Systems Management to control its complex distributed infrastructure, and CA's eTrust security solutions to protect its eBusiness applications and data. In 1999, stiff competition from Asia and reductions in defense spending prompted a far-reaching restructuring program to rationalize corporate processes. "The cornerstone of our renewal program was information technology," said Gianantonio Rui, CIO, Fincantieri. Fincantieri's distributed infrastructure comprises some 70 Windows NT servers handling data and communications for 1,800 Windows and 1,200 CAD workstations across the country.

IMO Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos has welcomed the major effort made by Governments and the shipping and port industries to improve maritime security in the weeks and months leading up to the entry into force of the ISPS Code and related security measures today, 1 July 2004. Mr Mitropoulos said that, all over the world, a huge amount of work has been undertaken in the period leading up to the entry-into-force date to ensure the highest possible level of compliance.

The Port of Houston Authority (PHA) commission approved a recommendation to award a contract to TRC-ECON Capital, L.P. for security infrastructure enhancements. Under the estimated $12 million, three-year design/build contract, TRC-ECON is expected to prepare a security master plan and implement the design and construction of fences, closed-circuit television systems, facility access controls and other security enhancements. The commission also approved a recommendation to execute a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will enable Global Environment & Technology Foundation (GETF) to help PHA develop and implement the first security management system (SMS) at a U.S. port.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry signs House Bill 3011, authorizing creation of the authorizing creation of the Houston Ship Channel Security District. Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed into law House Bill 3011, authorizing creation of the Houston Ship Channel Security District -- the nation's first of its kind and modeled after a management district. The signing took place at the Port of Houston Authority Executive Office Building. The Texas Legislature, in its 80th biannual session, authorized the creation of the Houston Ship Channel Security District -- an entity, proponents hope, that will serve as a security model for ports throughout the United States.

Public seaports across the United States are weighing in this week on the Administration's requested Fiscal Year 2006 federal budget. Ports are deeply concerned about recommended elimination of the Department of Homeland Security's Port Security Grant Program by lumping it into a sweeping new program that combines the security infrastructure needs of seaports with those of trains, trucks, busses and other public transit. In addition, ports are concerned about the Administration's proposed budget, which would significantly under-fund the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Civil Works program and needed deep-draft dredging projects. "Protecting America's marine facilities from acts of terrorism must be a top Administration priority and a shared responsibility between the ports…