controversies surrounding the ISPS Code
INTRODUCTION
IMO was formed in 1948 with after acknowledgement of the need to improve safety at sea through development of international regulations. IMO is a permanent international body and an agency of the United Nations, which in brief, regulates the shipping industry. IMO promotes maritime safety through development of international regulations which are to be followed by all shipping nations. IMO plays a key role in ensuring that lives at sea are not put at risk and that the marine environment is not polluted by shipping - as summed up in IMO 's mission statement: Safe, Secure and Efficient Shipping on Clean Oceans1.
It can be seen from IMO’s mission statement that maritime safety is directly related to maritime security. Only a secure environment would be safe.
Security was not much of a concern till the tragic event of 9/11 attacks on the US. All sectors of the society and industry raised eye brows and security became a prime concern in all walks of life.
Shipping industry also reciprocated to the uproar.
International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code), an internationally agreed upon regulatory framework that seeks to address maritime security, was enacted immediately after 9/11 terrorist attacks. ISPS code was made mandatory under the SOLAS Convention – this is how IMO linked safety to security.
ISPS Code came into force on 1st July 2004. Today it has been more than 5 years since the implementation of the ISPS code. This paper will examine the controversies surrounding the
ISPS Code, its rationale and safety objectives and whether these have been met, how it affected the industry and conclude recommendations for reconstruction of the policy so as to enhance maritime security and safety.
A number of websites and online databases were referred to for the purpose of this study and have been appropriately referenced in the endnotes.
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. IDENTIFICATION OF POLICY
2. THE CONTROVERSY
3.
IMO was formed in 1948 with after acknowledgement of the need to improve safety at sea through development of international regulations. IMO is a permanent international body and an agency of the United Nations, which in brief, regulates the shipping industry. IMO promotes maritime safety through development of international regulations which are to be followed by all shipping nations. IMO plays a key role in ensuring that lives at sea are not put at risk and that the marine environment is not polluted by shipping - as summed up in IMO 's mission statement: Safe, Secure and Efficient Shipping on Clean Oceans1.
It can be seen from IMO’s mission statement that maritime safety is directly related to maritime security. Only a secure environment would be safe.
Security was not much of a concern till the tragic event of 9/11 attacks on the US. All sectors of the society and industry raised eye brows and security became a prime concern in all walks of life.
Shipping industry also reciprocated to the uproar.
International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code), an internationally agreed upon regulatory framework that seeks to address maritime security, was enacted immediately after 9/11 terrorist attacks. ISPS code was made mandatory under the SOLAS Convention – this is how IMO linked safety to security.
ISPS Code came into force on 1st July 2004. Today it has been more than 5 years since the implementation of the ISPS code. This paper will examine the controversies surrounding the
ISPS Code, its rationale and safety objectives and whether these have been met, how it affected the industry and conclude recommendations for reconstruction of the policy so as to enhance maritime security and safety.
A number of websites and online databases were referred to for the purpose of this study and have been appropriately referenced in the endnotes.
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. IDENTIFICATION OF POLICY
2. THE CONTROVERSY
3.
Bibliography: Shipping Community’, WMU Journal of Maritime Affairs, Vol. 3, No.2, (2004) Maritime Security Centre Horn of Africa, World Wide Web, http://www.mschoa.org International Maritime Organisation, World Wide Web, http://www.imo.org/, (accessed 25 Dec 2009) Shipping Community’, WMU Journal of Maritime Affairs, Vol. 3, No.2, (2004), pp.123–138. Shipping Community’, WMU Journal of Maritime Affairs, Vol. 3, No.2, (2004), pp.123–138. Dec 2009) 7 International Maritime Organisation, World Wide Web, http://www.imo.org/home.asp?topic_id=1178, (accessed 25 Dec 2009) http://www.iccccs.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=376:unprecedented-increase-insomali-pirate-activity&catid=60:news&Itemid=51 (accessed 24 Dec 2009) 9 http://www.imo.org/home.asp?topic_id=1178, (accessed 25 Dec 2009) 11 http://www.imo.org/home.asp?topic_id=1178, (accessed 25 Dec 2009) 13 http://www.mschoa.org/FairplayStoryDisplay.aspx?articlename=dn0020091223000008, (accessed 28 Dec 2009)