The Conference also adopted a series of resolutions designed to add weight to the amendments, encourage the application of the measures to ships and port facilities not covered by the Code and pave the way for future work on the subject.

Amendments to SOLAS Chapter V (Safety of Navigation) contain a new timetable for the fitting of Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) to ships other than passenger ships and tankers of 300gt up to 50,000gt. These will require AIS to be fitted not later than the first safety equipment survey after 1 July 2004 or by 31 December 2004, whichever occurs earlier.

A new SOLAS Chapter XI-2 (Special Measures to Enhance Maritime Security) enshrines the ISPS Code and applies to passenger and cargo ships above 500gt and the port facilities serving such ships engaged on international voyages. Regulation XI-2/5 requires all ships to be provided with a ship security alert system, most to a strict timetable requiring fitment by 2004.

The system, which will not raise any alarm on board, will initiate and transmit a ship to shore security alert to a competent authority identifying the ship, its location and indicating that the security of the ship is under threat or has been compromised.

The Code takes the view that ensuring the security of ships and port facilities is essentially a risk management activity and that to determine what security measures are appropriate an assessment of risks must be made in each particular case.

This concept will be embodied in the Code through a number of minimum functional security requirements for ships and ports. For both ships and ports these will include security plans, security officers and certain security equipment.

For ports, each Contracting Government to SOLAS will conduct port facility security assessments which in the first instance will identify and evaluate important assets and infrastructures critical to the port as well areas or structures which, if damaged, could cause significant loss of life or economic or environmental damage. Then the assessment must identify the actual threats to those assets in order to prioritise security measures.

Finally the assessment must address vulnerability of the port facility by identifying its weaknesses in physical security, structural integrity, protection systems, procedural policies, communication systems, transportation infrastructure, utilities, and other areas that could be a likely target.

MJ Information No: 17805