Tag: security measures

he vast majority of cargo containers entering the U.S. go unchecked It's been more than a decade since Islamic terrorists attacked the U.S., yet the agency created to protect the nation from another strike is asleep at the wheel, failing to adequately screen the monstrous amounts of cargo that enter the country each day, according to a government report issued this week."Cargo containers that are part of the global supply chain-- the flow of goods from manufacturers to retailers -- are vulnerable to threats from terrorists ," state thegovernment analysts whoassembled data forthe new report.Itmay seem unbelievable to most Americans that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that more than ten years after the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history, the vast majority of cargo containers entering the U.S. go unchecked. Incredibly, it's true and the alarming details are outlined in the GAO report published this week by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of the U.S. Congress.The Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) of 2002 and the Security and Accountability For Every (SAFE) Port Act of 2006 required the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to take actions to improve maritime transportation security.Also, the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 ...

Security planning for the London Olympics Royal Marines from 539 Assault Squadron (539 ASRM) have been exercising with the Metropolitan Police Marine Policing Unit (MPU) on the River Thames near Woolwich Arsenal Pier as part of Olympic safety and security planning for the London Olympics.Almost one hundred Royal Marines have been honing their tactics, with a variety of marine craft including Offshore Raiding Craft and Landing Craft. During the exercise a Royal Navy Lynx and the Patrol Boat HMS Blazer have been in support.The series of familiarisation exercises taking place are helping to develop the safety and security operation for the River Thames. They have been designed to make sure that everyone has the same level of knowledge about the how the River operates and how the military and MPU tactics work together.Source: Advance

Security and safety measures to be taken European Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas has not ruled out taking unilateral action to improve vessel safety following the worst cruise ship disaster for a generation and the continuation of Somali pirate attacks against merchant shipping.A review of existing passenger ship safety legislation originally put in place after the Estonia disaster, will now include elements such as ship stability after an accident, evacuation procedures as well as language spoken onboard - factors that rose to prominence following the capsizing of the Costa Concordia off the coast of Italy in mid-January.The European Commission Vice President also intends to convene a stakeholder conference in April 2012 to discuss the best way forward and will use the findings of the official investigation into the capsizing as important information in deciding the way ahead.In the area of piracy, Brussels is considering moves to make mandatory the use of Best Management Practices (BMP4) for European ships travelling in pirate waters. Fotis Karamitsos, Director for Logistics, Maritime and Land Transport in the EU Commission (DG MOVE), told SMI: "Consideration will also be given to developing better ship design and looking at ways to better deter piracy."He said the use of ...

China is accelerating the launch of new, increasingly capable warships As looming budget cuts force the Pentagon to plan for a smaller U.S. navy, China is accelerating the launch of new, increasingly capable warships as part of a sustained drive to become a major maritime power.Shanghai's Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding Company late last month launched the fourth of China's new 071 amphibious landing ships according to reports carried by Chinese military web sites and the state-controlled media.While most attention has been drawn to the ongoing sea trials of China's first aircraft carrier, military analysts say the expanding fleet of 20,000 tone landing ships, the biggest domestically designed and built vessels in the Chinese navy, delivers a far more immediate boost to Beijing's global influence."Having a significant fleet of large amphibious assault vessels clearly suggests a desire for power projection," says Christian Le Miere, a maritime security researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London."If you want the surgical insertion of forces, for a range of reasons, then you need amphibious response ships."Source: Reuters

New rules to allow the use of armed guards and firearms on board ships In 2011, 397 pirate attacks on ships were reported worldwide; out of these, 39 ships were hijacked. To meet the increasing threat from pirates operating in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, Norway has adopted new rules applicable to Norwegian registered ships and drilling units. The rules set out when force can be used in self-defence, and allow the use of armed guards and firearms on board ships and units when they are operating in certain geographic areas.No international legislation governs the use of armed guards on board ships, although the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has issued non-binding guidelines, which provided the basis for the new Norwegian rules. The rules were adopted on July 1 2011 through amendments to the existing Security Regulation for Ships 2004 and the Weapons Regulation 2009, and entered into force immediately. At present, 20% to 25% of Norwegian registered vessels have armed guards on board.Both the Norwegian government and the Norwegian maritime industry have emphasised that armed guards should be used in addition to, not in place of, the international maritime industry's Best Management Practices on non-violent protective measures ...

Held in Kota Kinabalu,Sabah Malaysia from 8 to 10 February 2012 The second ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) Experts' Working Group (EWG) on Maritime Security was held in Kota Kinabalu,Sabah Malaysia from 8 to 10 February 2012.The Meeting was co-chaired by Ms. Suriani Ahmad, Undersecretary Policy and Strategic Planning, Ministry of Defence, Malaysia and CDRE Vince Di Pietro, Director General Navy Capability, Plans and Engagement of Australia. The meeting was attended by representatives of all ASEAN Member States and the Plus Countries, except for Myanmar and India. Brunei Darussalam was represented by 290 Lieutenant Colonel (L) Abang Abas bin Abang Haji Omarzuki from the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN) and two Research Officers from the Directorate of Defence Policy, Ministry of Defence.The Second EWG on Maritime Security Meeting was built on discussions arising from the inaugural EWG meeting on Maritime Security held in Perth, Australia in July last year. The meeting is to further deepen the specific initiatives for defence and military practical cooperation to help enhance capacity building on maritime security for member states. During the Meeting, Malaysia presented a proposal concept paper titled ADMM-Plus Expert Working Group on Maritime Security Future Development for ADMM-Plus member states to consider. It ...

Cooperation across the Gulf countries The inaugural Maritime Security and Surveillance Conference concluded last week, highlighting several important themes, including the need to continue building cooperation across the Gulf countries in the areas of maritime surveillance and security operations.Lieutenant Commander Sheikh Mubarak Ali Y. Al Sabah, Chief of Maritime Operations, Kuwait Coast Guard, discussed in detail about areas of cooperation, and explained that cooperation is key in tackling the various maritime threats that the region is facing.One of the initiatives taken by the region's maritime authorities is the establishment of a GCC Maritime Centre in Bahrain. This centre aims to boost security in the Gulf, including that of vital shipping lanes for oil exports. Members of the GCC have agreed to share information and contribute assets to the centre."Approval has been given from all GCC leaders," said Sheikh Saeed bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, Deputy Commander of the UAE Navy.According to Lieutenant Commander Sheikh Mubarak Ali Y. Al Sabah, a primary problem in the Gulf waters is drug traffickers where a bust is made every two to three weeks. After each bust, the GCC nations share information about the incident and the lessons learnt.Currently, an emerging concern in the region is ...

International Accreditation Programme for Private Maritime Security Companies The Security Association for the Maritime Industry (SAMI) launched its International Accreditation Programme for Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSCs).The SAMI Accreditation Programme will see maritime security providers, within the Association's membership undergo a three-stage process of due diligence, systems checks and site visits. The programme will be managed by SAMI, with accreditations performed by an independent third party certification body, the National Security Inspectorate (NSI).Work on developing the standards and accreditation programme has been ongoing for the past eight months. Further developing the guidelines laid down by industry and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the programme will assess the capabilities, experience, corporate standing and resources of PMSCs.SAMI founder Peter Cook said: "It has been no mean feat to forge a united front from an industry which has always followed its own path. We are pleased and proud to announce the launch of what we believe to be a rigorous and significant means of assessing global maritime security providers."The developments were led by SAMI and supported by NSI who have been conducting a pilot scheme that successfully concluded last month. NSI Chief Executive Jeff Little added: "We are delighted to work with SAMI. ...

Security measures to counter Somali pirates SecuOn 31 January 2012, the EUNAVFOR flagship ESPS PATIÑO conducted a Replenishment at Sea (RAS) with the NATO Flagship TGN GIRESUN watched by Russian observers before the exercise was repeated by the Russian Flagship Admiral Tributs with the Russian Fleet Tanker Pechenga with NATO and EU NAVFOR observers embarked.During the morning, the EU NAVFOR and NATO ships demonstrated to several Russian observers on-board the two Flagships a RAS manoeuvre where the ships steer parallel courses only 40 - 50 metres apart while passing fuel between the ships. In the afternoon, the same challenging seamanship exercise was performed by the Russian Task Force units, this time watched by EU NAVFOR and NATO observers.The exercise was coordinated to improve the interoperability among ships from different forces that operate in the Horn of Africa countering Somali pirates.During the exercise, all observers had the opportunity not only to discuss this type of underway replenishment manoeuvres, but share their experience and views regarding the counter-piracy operations and the necessity for protecting World Food Programme shipping and the merchant shipping community in general. Following the exercise all those involved agreed that they were much better aware of the differences between ...

New system of intelligence sharing planned, Kuwaiti commander says Maritime security in the Gulf region has become a concern today more than ever before which is why the GCC countries are combining efforts to protect their territorial waters and sea lines of communication."Now the threat is coming from the maritime sector," said Lieutenant Commander Mubarak A. Al Sabah, Chief of Maritime Operations at the Kuwait Coast Guard, to Gulf News in an interview yesterday."We are trying our best to secure the Arabian Gulf from terrorist activity, drug trafficking and piracy."Recently, Iran announced that it would block the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Arabian Gulf with the Arabian Sea if sanctions are imposed on its oil exports. The European Union announced in January that it would ban oil imports from Iran starting from July 1 to put pressure on Iran over its nuclear programme.There is a plan in the works to establish a central computer-based program for a comprehensive overlapping surveillance system to share information among the maritime operating centres of the GCC, Al Sabah said.LifelineThe Strait of Hormuz and the sea lines of communication in the Arabian Gulf are the lifeline for many of the economies in the region. ...