Pfso
This is a mandatory role, right? Yes, sort of. For those who don’t know what a PFSO is: Port Facility Security Officer, the person responsible for the security of a port facility on behalf of the facility operator. Appointing a PFSO is a requirement for all companies subject to EU Regulation 725/2004. This is the EU version of the ISPS Code, which is incorporated into Dutch law through the Port Security Act. The ISPS Code is an international regulation concerning the security of maritime shipping and all locations that handle seagoing vessels, namely passenger ships, cargo ships, and mobile drilling units (self-propelled drilling rigs and ships).
ISPS code
The ISPS Code sets forth a number of security requirements that must be met, such as preventing unauthorized access and preventing prohibited items from being brought into the port facility, not only by land but also by water. The purpose of these requirements is to prevent damage to ships, port facilities, and the port as a whole. We have seen in recent years just how broad the concept of damage can be. It often involves disruption of operations due to the discovery of stowaways, the smuggling of narcotics—particularly cocaine—armed robbers on the premises, theft of cargo, and damage to networks and data caused by ransomware.
PFSO Training
The PFSO is expected to be able to manage these risks and to know what measures must be taken to reduce the risks to an acceptable level. It is therefore no coincidence that the ISPS Code mandates training for the PFSO—training that SERIS has been providing for years and that has also been adopted by: STC Training & Consultancy, which, among other things, provides port-related adult education and training within the STC Group; the NOVA Maritime College in IJmuiden; and Portilog in Antwerp.
This training program is based on course materials that are updated several times a year, and the instructor—who also serves as a guest lecturer at the aforementioned organizations—is a deputy PFSO at several port facilities and is the author of the course. So does SERIS know a thing or two about ISPS? You bet!
The ISPS Code sets forth a number of requirements regarding the knowledge and skills of thePFSO. The regulations state that the PFSO must, as applicable, have knowledge of and be trained in approximately twenty topics. These topics are covered in a course manual exceeding 350 pages, including sample forms and the relevant legislative texts as appendices. The book covers the following (slightly abridged table of contents):
1. Background, Target Audience, and Objective
2. Relevantlaws and regulations
- Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention
- International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code
- EU Regulation 725/2004
- Port Security Act (Hbw)
- Some important definitions
3. Threats, Risks, and Risk Assessment
- Intentional unlawful acts and damages
- PFSA in accordance with the ISPS Code
- Basis for the risk assessment
- Procedure, methodology, and implementation of risk assessment
4. Port Facility Security Measures
- Key articles related to the PFSP
- Actors and threat scenarios
- Determining measures
- Building the PFSP
5. Security Technology and Methods
6. Recognizing and detecting threats
7. Performance of security duties
8. Security training and drills
9. Appendices
- Application Form for ISPS Certification of Port Facilities (MOBI)
- Risk Assessment Questionnaire
- Cyber Risk Assessment Questionnaire
- Safety in port areas
- Port Security Act
- EU Regulation 725/2004
10. Index
11. Answers to the practice questions in the chapters
12. Footnotes
Risk Assessment
Naturally, the starting point for any security measure is a thorough risk assessment. This involves identifying and analyzing threats and ultimately providing recommendations on how to address the resulting risks. Although this risk assessment is conducted by the government, the PFSO must provide the necessary information for this purpose. And to properly identify the risks, the PFSO’s close involvement in this process is essential. A thorough understanding of potential threats and the risk assessment methodology is therefore, of course, necessary.
Unfortunately, it is still all too common for port facilities to face incidents that are, in part, preventable. This can be achieved, on the one hand, by thoroughly identifying potential threats and carefully analyzing the incidents that might result from them, but also by having the courage to implement the measures that logically follow from this analysis. In our PFSO training, we use fairly confrontational video footage to illustrate these risks and call things as they are, which can sometimes seem exaggerated—until something actually goes wrong. For example, our consultants are confronted with locations where goods have been stolen, where migrants are regularly intercepted, where cocaine is smuggled into the country, where employees of the port facility have been approached to assist criminal gangs for money and sometimes under threat, but also where cyberattacks have brought operations to a standstill for some time. These are all topics covered in the PFSO training program, and SERIS can assist the PFSO in their role later on, providing advice if desired.
The PFSO is essentially the safety officer in the field of security. The PFSO must be able to assess risks, determine the appropriate measures, convince management of the need to implement them—even if they seem excessive to the average crew member—and then implement them, monitor their continued effectiveness, and adjust them as necessary. Measures range from barriers, fences with fence detection, and cameras with image analysis to the use of biometrics, searches (visual inspection of the contents of carried luggage and vehicles), pre- and post-employment screening of employees, and measures regarding ICT use and security. In addition, one of the most important measures is raising awareness and fostering a culture of reporting among all employees at the port facility—a challenge that also falls to the PFSO and one that we at SERIS can help address through our security awareness training programs.
Register for the PFSO training course
So don’t underestimate the responsibilities of the PFSO. And to the PFSO: don’t hesitate to take on your responsibilities. We’re happy to help you with that. To register for the PFSO training course or for advice regarding ISPS, please send an email to our instructor Fred Byrman: fbyrman@seris.nl
