Port Facility Security
In this blog, we’ll discuss port security, including the security of port facilities and interactions with ships docked in the port. Port facilities encompass a wide range of businesses and handle a great variety of cargo types—from ore, coal, oil, and cement to containers, roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) cargo, and passengers. Goods loaded or unloaded at the port come from all directions, from other European ports to Central America or China. It is an international activity, as ships and port facilities converge at Europe’s external border. Whether goods and people enter Europe via Schiphol Airport or a Dutch seaport makes no difference. Port security is therefore different from the security of an office building in any given municipality.
Compliance with the ISPS Code
In my more than 40 years in the security industry, I have held various positions, including dispatch operator, mobile security guard, facility security guard, coordinator, project supervisor, and operations manager. I have set up and managed many large-scale projects, such as providing security for two major railway projects during the construction phase and for a large seaport facility before and during its completion. Of my 40 years of experience, I have spent 20 years working in port security. Even before the European implementation of the ISPS Code—an international set of rules regarding the security of ships and port facilities—I was already involved in port security. Thanks to a project for an American oil company in Rotterdam in 2003, I became aware of the ISPS Code. The code had already been implemented in the United States a year earlier, so the client was already familiar with the requirements.
Public-private partnerships are essential
Border control at airports is largely carried out by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (KMar). At port facilities, border control is primarily handled by private security firms contracted by the port authorities. The deployment of private security guards stems, on the one hand, from the Port Security Act (Hbw) and the overarching EU legislation (EU Regulation 725/2004) and, on the other hand, from the Private Security Organizations and Investigation Agencies Act (Wpbr). This separation of duties has a number of advantages, but also presents a number of challenges.
One of the main challenges is cooperation between public and private entities. The Wpbr imposes quality and integrity requirements on private security organizations. This is important because criminal organizations attempt to smuggle large quantities of drugs into the EU via port facilities. Both employees of the port companies themselves and security guards are approached by gangs to facilitate the illegal importation of drugs.
Collaboration
Effective cooperation between the PFSO, security personnel, and government agencies is essential to improving border security at port facilities. The most obvious agencies involved are port authorities, customs, and the police. Companies and government agencies must improve cooperation between public and private entities at port facilities. This can be achieved by taking the following steps:
- Eliminate the negative association entrepreneurs have with authorities.
- Maintain regular contact between the PFSO, security personnel, and government agencies.
- Exchanging information to bring to light issues that would otherwise remain hidden.
Businesses and government agencies can work together to improve border security at port facilities. This is important for ensuring the security of the EU.
Port Facility Risk Assessment: Collaboration Is Essential
As an ISPS specialist, I have conducted numerous risk assessments at port facilities over the past few years. A thorough risk assessment is essential for the security of a port facility. This assessment helps identify risks related to drug smuggling, terrorism, and other forms of crime. The results of this assessment are used to develop a security plan.
Trust & respect
As I have emphasized before, effective cooperation between the port authorities and the port operator is essential. The port authorities have expertise in the field of safety and can help the port operator properly identify risks. The port operator has knowledge of the specific situation at the port facility and can help the port authorities translate this knowledge into concrete measures. This cooperation starts with sharing information. In my experience, it is important that this cooperation is also personal. The people involved in the risk assessment must trust and respect one another. Only then can they communicate openly and honestly with each other and achieve the best results.
Port companies and port authorities must work together to reduce the risks of drug smuggling, terrorism, and other forms of crime at port facilities. By working together, they can enhance the security of port facilities and the safety of the employees who work there.
Internal security: the importance of training and education
Internally, companies can do a lot to improve security. One of the most important steps is training and education. Training and education should focus on the threats to which employees are exposed. These include phishing, smishing, fake IDs and documents, social engineering, and recruitment scams. Social engineering is a technique in which criminals attempt to deceive people by telling a convincing story. This can happen both online and offline. A security guard who is not well-prepared is vulnerable to this.
Unfortunately, security guards are still viewed as a necessary evil at many companies. They are often poorly supported, and their decisions are not always respected. If a security guard refuses to let someone in, but the client insists on it, the guard is often forced to let the person in anyway. This leads to frustration for the security guard and can compromise safety. Companies must make their employees aware of the threats they face. They must also support their security guards and treat them with respect. Only then can companies effectively improve safety in the workplace.
Information sharing: crucial for safety
A lot of information is generated at a port facility. This information can be valuable for the security of the port facility. That is why it is important to share this information effectively.
Information can be generated by systems, but also by people. It is important to make clear what people should look out for and how and where information can be reported. Such information provides a basis for continuous improvement, another term from the world of ISO. The ISPS Code itself also provides sufficient starting points, demonstrating that it is intended as a management system and not merely as a set of rules on the basis of which a security plan can be drawn up. The ISPS Code defines a PFSP as a plan intended to ensure the implementation of measures to protect the port facility, ships, persons, cargo, cargo transport units, and ship’s stores. This includes protection against the risks of a security incident. To “ensure implementation,” compliance must be monitored.
According to the ISPS Code, the PFSO must ensure that inspections, evaluations, and audits are conducted. Security incidents must be evaluated to identify the underlying causes and must be reported to the competent authority. However, many incidents go unnoticed and unreported. Collecting data can be used to improve the security of the port facility. Examples include identifying security vulnerabilities or tracking down criminals.
Effective port security: an investment in peace of mind
Port security is a requirement under the ISPS Code, but it is also crucial for employee safety and business continuity. At the same time, we understand that for a business owner, this is the least “important” argument, but it is a fact. Effective port security acts as a protective shield within which the business owner can focus on what they do best. Effective port security is an investment that pays for itself. A robust security policy and team reduce risks, disruptions, and threats to employees. This provides the business owner with peace of mind and certainty, allowing them to focus on their core business.
education
This also requires a strong team “to start with.” Such a team consists of certified and experienced security officers and a certified PFSO. For quite some time now, there have been various training programs for port security and PFSO roles. We believe in training programs that combine the curriculum for port security officers and PFSO roles to train “port security officers+.” This involves a 385-page textbook and a 40-question exam. Because the port security officers in training also learn the material that is actually only mandatory for the PFSO, there is a greater understanding of the necessity of the measures, and the PFSO gains better insight into the tasks and working methods of the security officers when they must implement the measures as outlined in the PFSP. And it doesn’t end there.
Our port security officers frequently obtain the necessary certifications by completing various training modules. Examples from the past two years include predictive profiling, hazardous materials, and cybersecurity. All team leaders and coordinators who are closely involved in the security of the facility act as deputy PFSO. He or she writes the facility instructions, assists in organizing and conducting the drills required under the ISPS Code, and, with the client’s permission, maintains contact with the police and customs.
Port Security Act Amendment of 2024
On January 1, 2024, the security industry bid farewell to the accreditation scheme that allowed organizations to train security guards for the port security officer certification. This legislative change was years in the making, and the SVPB, together with the volunteers who served on the various committees and working groups, invested a great deal of time to ensure the success of the new exams. Based on the revised requirements, new course material has been developed, as always in a combined book. The book itself includes more than 200 practice questions. The content of the study material has not changed significantly, so the old book remains usable. The revised study material aligns better with the new requirements. With knowledge of both the old and revised study material, all port security officers and PFSO’s will be able to pass the new exam successfully.
Transition period
A transition period has been established for certified port security officers and PFSO’s. The transition periods are as follows:
- PFSO(s) who are formally registered as such for a port facility must hold a certificate attesting that they have completed appropriate training. This satisfies the requirements of Article 18.1 of Part A of the ISPS Code (hereinafter referred to as A/18.1). This can be any certificate, such as from STC, NOVA, or SERIS, but… by July 1, 2025, they must hold the SVPB PFSO certificate. This means that those who wish to remain active as PFSO must register for this exam well in advance. As of July 1, 2025, the old certificates will no longer be sufficient to qualify as a PFSO. There is currently no requirement for PFSO recertification, but please be aware that this will likely be introduced within a few years.
- The change is similar for port security officers. Starting January 1, 2024, training providers such as STC, NOVA, and SERIS may continue to offer the HB training program. Participants must then register with the SVPB for the HB exam, as the SVPB HB certificate will be mandatory for new port security officers as of January 1, 2024. Port security officers—that is, those who already hold an HB certificate—will also be required to take the SVPB exam in the future. A transition period has been agreed upon for this, which depends on the age of the current certificate. This old certificate must then be registered with the SVPB by September 30, 2024, so that it can be entered into the SVPB diploma registry. In doing so, the requirements set forth in Article 2 of the Port Security Regulations must be met. An old Port Security Officer certificate must clearly indicate that it is a Port Security Officer certificate. This certificate must state the date it was obtained and must include the initials, last name, and date of birth of the holder, who is also the applicant for registration. If these requirements are met and the old certificate has been registered, the following deadlines apply:
| Date of issue | SVPB exam for |
|---|---|
| A valid certificate obtained before December 31, 2013, results in an SVPB certificate that is valid for 2 years | December 31, 2025 |
| A valid certificate obtained between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2018, results in an SVPB certificate that is valid for 3 years | December 31, 2026 |
| A valid certificate obtained between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2023, will result in an SVPB certificate that is valid for 4 years | December 31, 2027 |
| A valid certificate obtained before December 31, 2013, results in an SVPB certificate that is valid for 2 years | December 31, 2025 |
| If you do not have an old HB certificate, please obtain the SVPB Port Security Officer certificate before starting work as a port security officer | Before deployment |
| Old certificate, but 63.5 years old as of January 1, 2024 | Exemption |
About Fred Byrman
The author of this blog, Fred Byrman, has over 40 years of experience in security. He works as a guest lecturer for several educational institutions in the Netherlands and Belgium, serves as a deputy PFSO for various companies in the ports of Rotterdam and Amsterdam, and is a senior port security consultant at SERIS. He has written the PFSP (Port Facility Security Plan) for many port facilities, and in Belgium, he conducts ISPS risk assessments on behalf of a Belgian RSO (Recognized Security Organization). Would you like to learn more about port security in terms of legislation, education, training, and practical implementation? Please contact us using the button below.
