International Ship and Port Facilities Security Code (ISPS CODE)

Maritime traffic undoubtedly constitutes an instrument of the most strategic importance for international trade, specially taking into account the high percentage of the total volume transported by sea.

Alongside the increase of maritime traffic, there are important antisocial threats affecting it and related sectors (vessels, port facilities, etc), global threats which need a global answer from the international cooperation.

The international normative to protect sectors as the maritime was born under these circumstances and the events on September 2001 in the USA and March 2004 in Spain. In this case, the normative is centralised by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The key developed on maritime protection is the Code ISPS (adopted by the Conference of SOLAS Contracting Governments on Maritime Security on 12 December 2002 - Resolution 2). The Port of Vigo developed it through the design of a protection system based upon the delimitation of thirty Port Facilities in the Service Area. Twenty four of them must be directly managed from their concession holders and the other six are defined as exclusive competence of the Port Authority.

As the rest of the Spanish Ports of General Interest, the establishment of this Code has been tutored by “Puertos del Estado”, who decided the methodology to follow in the Port of Vigo, known as SECUREPORT, together with the Ministry of Home Affairs.

All of the 24 concessionary installations have their correspondent Evaluation and Protection Plan approved by the Administration Council of the Port Authority, as well as their Protection Officials. The Port Authority has collaborated in the initial implementation of the Code and continues to do so in order to set homogenous criteria, supervise the correct execution of its directives, carry out audits and translate instructions from the IMO and Puertos del Estado. Moreover, the necessary constant vigilance and protection is assured through the daily labour of the Port Police, controlling gate access and surveying the Port from the Control Centre.

In the Port Authority’s installations, the implementation of this normative is mainly focused on the Liners Quay / Passenger Terminal, due to the importance of cruise passengers and the protection of their integrity. A greater degree of exigency in the areas controlled by the Port Authority is required by all the agents affected by this Code, ship-owner companies and vessels.

The key for a correct implementation of the Ship, Passenger and Commodities Protection Plans lies on the Port Police together with other corps of national security who regularly develop their activity in the Port.