Cabinet approves for Seychelles to host National Workshop on Maritime Safety and ISPS | 29 July 2019

In a cabinet meeting chaired by President Danny Faure on Wednesday July 24, it was approved for Seychelles to host the National Workshop on Maritime Security and the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) from August 26 to August 29^.

The workshop follows an audit conducted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in which it was recognised that Seychelles needs technical assistance to improve security standards at Port Victoria and to ensure enforcement of the ISPS Code.

The code makes provisions for measures and procedures to prevent acts of terrorism which threaten the security of passengers and crews and the safety of ships. It seeks to establish an international framework involving cooperation between governments and shipping and port industries to detect and assess security threats and take preventive measures against security incidents affecting ships or port facilities used in international trade.

Additionally, it aims to ensure early and efficient collection and exchange of security-related information and to provide a methodology for security assessments in order to have plans and procedures in place to react to changing security levels.

In order for Port Victoria to satisfy the international norms established by the code, there are numerous functional requirements including preventing unauthorised access to ships, port facilities and their restricted areas and providing means for raising an alarm in reaction to security threats or security incidents.

The workshop follows a four-day intensive training session on port security conducted earlier this month by security specialists from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) of the United States Navy as the government vows to improve port security in time for the completion of the Port Victoria extension project.