Security Gateway: Secure, Efficient, and Future-Proof Access

No ship enters the docks of “Europe’s largest port” unnoticed. SERIS provides 24/7 physical security for various port facilities, ensuring that each facility meets the strict requirements of the ISPS Code (International Ship and Port Facility Security Code), incorporated into European law by Regulation 725/2004. Our port security guards monitor the area day and night, conduct access checks, and, under the authority of the PFSO (Port Facility Security Officer), collaborate with the police, customs, and port authorities.

The PFSO is the person responsible within each ISPS-compliant port facility for implementing the security plan and managing security. In addition, the PFSO monitors compliance by conducting inspections to ensure that security measures remain effective. This officer also organizes drills and training sessions. Together with all stakeholders, the PFSO ensures that the port facility continues to operate safely and efficiently, without disrupting logistical processes.

Under the ISPS Code, a port facility is any location where interaction takes place with ISPS-compliant ships engaged in international voyages. The following ships are subject to ISPS requirements:

• Cargo ships with a gross tonnage of more than 500 GT (Gross Tonnage).
• Passenger ships.
• Mobile offshore units (such as self-propelled drilling ships and platforms).

This means that not every quay or terminal is subject to the ISPS requirements. Locations where no ships subject to the ISPS Code dock are not required to comply with the Code’s security requirements. And even if a port location is subject to the ISPS Code, this may apply only to a specific part of the premises, such as a quay or a jetty.

According to the ISPS Code, every port facility subject to the ISPS Code must have a PFSP (Port Facility Security Plan). This plan sets out all the agreements and measures appropriate to the threat level determined by the government. Essentially, it involves the following measures:

Access Control
Access control is all about ensuring that unauthorized persons and unwanted items do not simply enter the port facility or end up on board a ship. That is why the port must be properly secured with, for example, fences, barriers, and gates. Everyone who wants to enter—whether employees, visitors, or suppliers—is screened using access cards, registration, and an ID check. In addition, there is supervision during loading and unloading, when supplying ships, and in areas that require extra protection due to specific risks.

Surveillance and Monitoring
Smart camera surveillance helps maintain an overview of the site, the quay, the water, and the ships moored there. Proper lighting makes this surveillance even more effective. As soon as something suspicious is detected, on-site security can immediately take the appropriate action.

Inspection of Goods, Luggage, and Vehicles
To prevent prohibited or hazardous substances and goods from entering a port facility, vehicles, cargo, supplies, and luggage are also inspected. Surveillance plays an important role in this process, but sometimes a physical inspection is essential.

Security Organization The ISPS Code refers to a “security organization.” This is a team of people who work together to ensure that the security plan outlined in the PFSP is properly implemented. A PFSO is always appointed for this purpose—often two—so that someone is always available. It is also important that the people performing security duties are qualified and well-trained.

Response and Escalation
If the threat level rises, additional measures are taken or security checks are stepped up. At Level 1 (Normal), this involves basic measures such as access control and surveillance. At Level 2 (Elevated), additional checks, extra personnel, and more intensive screening are added. Level 3 (threat) means that access is strictly controlled, the location is largely closed off, and only truly essential activities continue.

However, having security guards on site around the clock is not always the only way to comply with ISPS regulations. Together with strategic partners specializing in design, installation, and maintenance, as well as control room solutions, SERIS developed the Security Gateway. This integrated solution keeps port facilities secure, even without the need for security guards to be constantly present on site.

What makes the Security Gateway unique is its camera surveillance system, which monitors access points and the immediate surroundings around the clock. As a result, many physical checks are no longer necessary. Access is controlled via double fencing and smart identity verification, ensuring that only authorized personnel enter the premises. For locations subject to ISPS requirements, this fully complies with regulations, but the Security Gateway also offers clear advantages for other sites, such as logistics centers and industrial complexes. Wherever secure and efficient access is important, the solution helps reduce the risk of unauthorized access and increase the reliability of security.

As a committed partner in the logistics chain, we ensure that security does not hinder the flow of processes but rather supports it. By utilizing smart technology, we reduce the need for physical labor and transportation, and make more efficient use of energy. Together with our specialized partners, we demonstrate that innovative ideas and practical solutions reinforce one another. In this way, we make security more reliable, more sustainable, and ready for the future.

A ship is moored at a port facility. Access to the ship or to shore is permitted exclusively through the Security Gateway—a secure gangway connecting the shore to the ship. Only pre-registered visitors and crew members are allowed to pass through here, with every step carefully monitored to ensure security.

At the first gate, the visitor rings the video intercom. The camera feed opens immediately, and the operator asks for the visitor’s name and the name of the ship they are visiting. The operator checks the system to see if this person has been pre-registered. If not, the gate remains closed and access is denied. If the registration is valid, the dispatcher opens the first gate and the visitor enters the lock. The gate closes automatically behind them.

A second check takes place in the middle of the security gate. A new video intercom is used to contact the operator, who asks the visitor to scan their ID. At the same time, a camera captures the visitor’s face, allowing the operator to compare the photo on the document with the person on screen. When the name, authenticity, and facial recognition match, the second gate opens. This only happens if the first gate is fully closed, which the operator can verify via the camera feed at the gate. Only then is the visitor granted access to the ship.

The process works exactly the same for visitors leaving the waterfront toward the pier. The only difference is that in that case, you are not asked to identify the specific vessel.

The Security Gateway brings people and technology together. Advanced systems and vigilant operators ensure that visitors can move smoothly and safely between the pier and the ship, while always ensuring everyone’s safety.

In addition to the smart technology of the Security Gateway, SERIS offers  mobile surveillance plays an indispensable role in daily operations. If a malfunction occurs—for example, with a fence, a camera, or an intercom—our security guard is quickly on the scene. He or she assesses the situation, takes immediate action, and ensures that the access process continues as smoothly as possible, without causing unnecessary inconvenience to visitors or employees.

Our security guards conduct regular patrols to ensure that the Security Gateway is clean and undamaged. This allows potential risks to be identified and resolved in a timely manner before they escalate into actual problems. In consultation with the PFSO, they also conduct inspections , with the frequency aligned with what is specified in the PFSP. This ensures full compliance with ISPS requirements.

All security guards working for Security Gateway are trained as port security officers and have the knowledge and experience to respond quickly and professionally in any situation.

Our Security Gateway ensures safety and smooth operations at all port facilities subject to ISPS requirements. Would you like to discover how your processes can be organized in a smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable way? Please feel free to contact us. We’d be happy to tell you more about the possibilities.