Security Officers News

HII has announced that all five collective bargaining units at its Ingalls Shipbuilding division have ratified new collective bargaining agreements, securing an immediate 18 percent or higher base wage increase for union-represented shipbuilders.This is the largest single wage increase in Ingalls Shipbuilding history and will extend the contract through March 8, 2031.The Ingalls Shipbuilding Collective Bargaining Agreement, for union-represented shipbuilders, provides historic wage growth of 35 to 47 percent through 2031.

Greece has warned its shipping fleet to review their security measures when sailing to Russian Black Sea ports after drone attacks on two Greek-operated tankers this week, according to shipping ministry advisories.Drones struck two oil tankers on Tuesday, including one chartered by U.S.

Maritime operations run on tight schedules and thin margins, and as ships, terminals and supply chains connect systems for visibility and efficiency, attackers gain paths to entry. Cyber risk has become an operational reliability and safety concern, not just an IT issue. “Whether we are looking at this challenge through an operational or organizational safety lens, cyber risk is a critical business risk. An incident will impact everyone,” says Michael DeVolld, Senior Director…

U.S. construction materials firm Vulcan Materials Co said on Monday that Mexican security forces illegally took possession last week of its port terminal in southern Mexico, as an extended legal battle over its nearby limestone mining activities plays out.The incident took place last Tuesday night at the terminal in the popular tourist hub of Playa del Carmen, and follows a five-year fight with the government over Vulcan's concessions punctuated by sharp criticism from the country's president last year.Vulcan…

Rhine river traffic came to a standstill in some places on Wednesday due to strikes against French government plans to raise the pension age, with sections of the river in France, Germany and Switzerland affected, a CGT union representative and Germany's Waterways and Shipping Administration (WSA) said.Around 1.28 million people in France had participated in a sixth day of protests on Tuesday against a draft law that would see the pension age delayed by two years to 64.A blockade at Strasbourg lock on the Rhine was cleared by police and an evacuation of the blockades at the Marckolsheim lock…

Crew kidnappings and violent attacks on vessels in the oil-rich West Africa region have soared in 2020, with 77 seafarers taken hostage or kidnapped for ransom since January, according to the ICC International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) latest piracy report.The Gulf of Guinea off West Africa is increasingly dangerous for commercial shipping, accounting for just over 90% of maritime kidnappings worldwide. Meanwhile, ship hijackings are at their lowest since 1993, the report said.“Violence against crews is a growing risk in a workforce already under immense pressure,” says IMB Director Michael Howlett. “In the Gulf of Guinea attackers armed with knives and guns now target crews on every type of vessel.

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…

Ghana is the latest country to benefit from training on the implementation of International Maritime Organization (IMO) maritime security standards in SOLAS Chapter XI-2 and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code.The workshop (9 -13 September) was held in Accra, Ghana. 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 the requirements.The event brought together representatives from Ghana Maritime Authority, Ghana port and harbour Authority, Ship owners and several ports operators, who have been…

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…

International Maritime Organization (IMO)  maritime security training is underway for Libyan port facility security officers, managers and designated authority officials (18-22 August).According to the UN body, the workshop, delivered in English and in Arabic, aims to assist the Libyan Government in enhanced security risk assessments and controls on maritime transport through its territory.According to a press release, fifteen officers in charge of port security from ports across the country are attending, including five from the national maritime security committee in charge of oversight the implementation of the Code in the country.Participants are being trained on how to perform their duties in line with SOLAS Chapter XI-2 (click for details)…

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…

International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the South Pacific Community, in collaboration with the Government of Vanuatu, are holding a Regional Maritime Security Workshop in Port Vila, Vanuatu (22-25 July). "Good maritime and port security is the enabler for maritime and economic development through maritime trade. It can be taken for granted when it works, but maintaining good security is essential," said the UN body.The workshop coincides with IMO Secretary General Kitack Lim's visit to Vanuatu, Fiji and Australia - the first time an IMO Secretary General visits the South Pacific.The regional workshop brings together Heads of Designated…

A live security drill at a cruise ship terminal in Mexico has given participants the opportunity to hone their skills and assess where any improvements can be made, said a press release from the International Maritime Organization (IMO).The exercise, including a simulated bomb threat, was part of a workshop on Maritime Security Drills and Exercises, delivered by the Mexican National Maritime Authority (SEMAR) and the organizers of XIII International Forum on Maritime and Port Security (PBIP Forum), in cooperation with IMO, in Cozumel, Mexico (27-30 May) at the Cozumel Cruise terminal.Participants in the drills and workshop included the cruise terminal port facility security officers…

The second in a planned series of interactive workshops to prepare countries for a wide range of potential threats and security situations has been held, in Veracruz, Mexico (26-27 February).The interactive Port Facility Security/Port Security Officer Tabletop Exercise was run by International Maritime Organization (IMO) in collaboration with the Organization of American States Inter American Committee Against Terrorism (OAS-CICTE), following a successful pilot in Panama 2018.According to a press note from the UN body, participants in Mexico took part in a simulation exercise, designed to allow port facility security officers to develop their decision making skills in different situations…

New solution incorporates National Institute of Standards and Technology Cyber Security Framework (NIST CSF). ABS Advanced Solutions announced a first-of-its-kind cyber security solution to aid regulated maritime facilities in complying with US Coast Guard (USCG) guidance. The suite of services provides a turnkey solution for port and terminal facility operators responsible for maintaining USCG regulated Facility Security Plans (FSPs).In 2017, the USCG announced the intent that regulated maritime facilities in the United States address cyber security in their FSPs.

Interferry CEO Mike Corrigan reflects on the global trade association’s hectic year of involvement in three key areas of concern.Readers with long memories will have a strong sense of déjà vu when I say that safety, security and the environment are at the forefront of Interferry’s networking and lobbying mission right now. I highlighted the very same issues in this column last January, so let me explain why I’m not entirely repeating myself.It’s a fact of life that a lot can happen in a short space of time.

Piracy increased on the world’s seas in 2018, with a marked rise in attacks against ships and crews around West Africa, the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) latest annual piracy report reveals.Worldwide, the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) recorded 201 incidents of maritime piracy and armed robbery in 2018, up from 180 in 2017.The Gulf of Guinea remains increasingly dangerous for seafarers. Reports of attacks in waters between the Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo more than doubled in 2018, accounting for all six hijackings worldwide, 13 of the 18 ships fired upon, 130 of the 141 hostages taken globally, and 78 of 83 seafarers kidnapped for ransom.The region saw a significant new spike in violence in the last quarter of 2018.

Legal experts and port and maritime security officers from Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka have gathered at  International Maritime Organization (IMO)  in London (27-29 November) for a focused sub-regional workshop on implementing transport-related (maritime) counter terrorism instruments.A press note from IMO said that the joint United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and IMO Counter Terrorism/Security sub-regional workshop was a follow-up to three national workshops in the same countries."This is part of an ongoing UNODC/IMO project to boost implementation of IMO maritime security and counter terrorism treaties, including SOLAS Chapter XI-2 and the suppression of unlawful acts (SUA) instruments.

Libyan port and maritime security officers are receiving training on  International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code), which sets out preventive security measures to detect and defer threats to ships and port facilities.The participants are in charge of port security throughout the country, and also include members of the national committee in charge of oversight of compliance in Libya, who will be part of a special session dedicated to oversight responsibilities.The training workshop (27-31 October) is focused on equipping the officers with the necessary skills and knowledge to plan and conduct effective self-assessments of compliance with relevant IMO regulations/guidelines.The workshop is being conducted in neighbouring Tunis…

Honduras is hosting a workshop on the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulation setting out preventive security measures in case of threats to ships and port facilities – the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code.The event in Puerto Cortez, Honduras (23-27 July) comes as a follow-up to a 2017 exercise in which the country’s specific technical assistance needs were identified.Designated authority and port facility security officers are improving their knowledge and understanding of how to implement the relevant provisions in the ISPS Code and SOLAS Chapter XI-2.Participants are also reviewing the practical guidance contained in the “Guide to maritime security and the ISPS Code”…

Commercial shipping is waking up to the growing threat that drones pose to the safety & security of vessels. Terrorist use of drones deploying explosives is already well documented and the potential for a drone to deliver an explosive charge through the deck of an oil/gas tanker or on a passenger ship with potentially catastrophic results is a stark reality. Vessels in port, at anchor or on coastal transits are potential ‘sitting ducks’ and currently powerless to know if/when they’re going to be attacked, let alone be in a position to defend against the threat. The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code) code Part A para 1.3.3 mandates requirements…

International Maritime Organization (IMO) maritime security training is underway for Libyan port facility security officers, managers and designated authority officials (30 April – 4 May). The workshop, delivered entirely in Arabic, aims to assist the Libyan Government in enhanced security risk assessments and controls on maritime transport through its territory. It is the first IMO maritime security workshop for Libya since the country's civil war. Twenty officers in charge of port security from ports across the country are attending, including five from the national committee in charge of oversight of compliance in the country. Participants are being trained on how to perform their duties in line with IMO’s code on International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS Code)…

For the first time, a national workshop on IMO's International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS Code) was delivered in Arabic during a five-day training course held in Doha, Qatar (22-26 April). Designated authority and port facility security officers had the chance to improve their knowledge and understanding through practical exercises as well as class-based training in how to implement the relevant provisions of the ISPS Code, SOLAS Chapter XI-2 and related guidance. The participants will now be equipped with the necessary skills to train others with similar responsibilities. Organized at the request of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Qatar…