Panama Maritime Authority
Directorate General of
Merchant Marine
International
Representative Office,
Merchant Marine Circular
No. 125
To: Shipowners/Operators, Charterers,
Masters, Recognized Security
Organizations and Marine Inspectors of
Panamanian flagged Vessels
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Subject: SHIP SECURITY PLAN GUIDELINES
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References: SOLAS 74 (2002 amendments) The
International Code for the Security of Ships and Port Facilities (ISPS Code) |
1. According with the Part A 9, ISPS Code requires each ship to carry on
board a Ship Security Plan (SSP) approval by its flag state or by an
organization recognized by it to carry out such approvals, known as a
Recognized Security Organization (RSO).
2. The Company Security Officer (CSO) has the responsibility of ensuring
that the plan is prepared and submitted for approval. The content of each
individual SSP will vary depending on the particular ship it covers. The Ship
Security Assessments (SSA) will have identified the particular features of the
ship and the potential threats and vulnerabilities. The preparation of the SSP
will require these features to be addressed in detail.
3. All SSP have to make provision for the
three, internationally adopted, Security Levels:
A- Security Level 1, normal; the level at which
ships and port facilities will normally operate;
B- Security Level 2, heightened; the level
applying for as long as there is a heightened risk of a security incident;
C- Security Level 3, exceptional; the level
applying for the period of time when there is a probable or imminent risk of a
security incident.
4. The Plan must be written in the working language or languages of the
ship. If the language or languages used are not English, French or Spanish, a
translation into one of these languages must be included, preferably English.
The Plan must address, at least, the following (Part A 9.4 ISPS Code):
1. Measures
designed to prevent weapons, dangerous substances and devices intended for use
against people, ships or ports, and the carriage of which is not authorized on
board the ship;
2. Identification of the restricted areas and measures for the prevention
of unauthorized access;
3. Measures for the prevention of unauthorized
access to the ship;
4. Procedures for responding to security threats or breaches of security,
including provisions for maintaining critical operations of the ship or
ship/port interface;
5. Procedures for responding to any security
instructions Contracting Governments may give at Security Level 3;
6. Procedures for evacuation in case of security threats or breaches of
security;
7. Duties of shipboard personnel assigned
security responsibilities and of other shipboard personnel on security aspects;
8. Procedures for auditing the security activities;
9. Procedures for training, drills and exercises associated with the Plan;
10. Procedures for interfacing with port facility security activities;
11. Procedures for the periodic review and updating of the Plan ;
12. Procedures for reporting security incidents;
13. Identification of the Ship Security Officer (SSO);
14. Identification of the CSO including 24-hour contact details;
15. Procedures to ensure the inspection, testing, calibration, and
maintenance of security equipment provided on board, if any;
16. Frequency of testing or calibration of
security equipment provided on board, if any;
17. Identification of the locations where the ship security alert system activation
points are provided (this information should be kept elsewhere on board in a
document know to the master, the SSO and other shipboard personnel as decided
by the Company);
18. Procedures, instructions and guidance on the
use of the ship security alert system, including testing, activation,
deactivation, resetting, and procedures to limit false alerts.
5. The SSP must (Part B 9.2 ISPS Code):
1. Detail organizational structure of security for the ship;
2. Detail the ship’s relationships with the Company, port facilities, other
ships and relevant authorities with security responsibility;
3. Detail the communication systems to allow effective continuous
communication within the ship and between the ship and others, including port
facilities;
4. Detail
basic security measures for Security Level 1, both operational and physical,
that will always be in place;
5. Detail the additional security measures that
will allow the ship to progress without delay to Security Level 2 and, when necessary,
to Security Level 3;
6. Provide for regular review, or audit, of the SSP and for its amendment
in response to experience or changing circumstances;
7. Detail reporting procedures to the
Department of Maritime Security of the Panama Maritime Authority contact
points;
6. In addition, the SSP should establish the following, which relate to all
Security Levels (Part B 9.7 ISPS Code);
1. Duties and responsibilities of all shipboard personnel with a security
role;
2. Procedures
of safeguards necessary to allow continuous communications to be maintained at
all times;
3. Procedures needed to assess the continuing
effectiveness of security procedures and any security and surveillance equipment
and systems, including procedures for identifying and responding to equipment
systems failure or malfunction;
4. Procedures and practices to protect security
sensitive information held in paper or electronic format;
5. The type and maintenance requirements of
security and surveillance equipment and systems, if any;
6. Procedures to ensure the timely submission, and assessment, 0of reports
relating to possible breaches of security or security concerns;
7. Procedures to establish, maintain and update an inventory of any
dangerous goods or hazardous substances carried on board, including their
location.
7. The Plan can be kept in an electronic
format. In such case, it must be protected by measures aimed at preventing unauthorized
access, disclosure, deletion, destruction or amendment (Part A 9.6 ISPS Code).
8. The Plan should address the security
measures to be taken at each Security Level covering:
1. Access to the ship by ship’s personnel,
passengers, visitors, etc;
2. Restricted areas of the ship;
3. Handling of cargo;
4. Delivery ship’s stores
5. Handling unaccompanied baggage;
6. Monitoring the security of the ship.
September 2003
Inquiries concerning the subject of this Circular or any request
should be directed to:
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Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) Maritime Security Department Address: P.O.
Box 592 Balboa, Ancon, Panama, Republic of Panama. Fax: (507) 232 8268
E-mail: MSD@amp.gob.pa |
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