Survey: Compliance with ISPS code varies among European ports

Survey: Compliance with ISPS code varies among European ports    A survey of 17 European countries by the European Sea Ports Organization shows mixed security compliance levels among European ports, despite the entry into force today of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code of the International Maritime Organization.
   The survey was conducted in the last few days and includes replies from 17 European countries. Three countries have provided partial data on some of their ports.
   According to the survey results, about half of the respondents reported that all or nearly all port facilities in their ports had approved security plans. In most of the other member countries, the degree of approval varied between 60 and 85 percent, covering the most important port facilities handling the most important share of traffic in the ports concerned.
   “Degrees of approval in those countries are expected to increase rapidly,” the European Sea Ports Organization said.
   In the majority of cases, approved plans will be fully operational and implemented today, the ports organization said in a statement Wednesday. “In some countries plans will be substantially operational, but final implementation measures may take another two to three months.”
   Ships without an approved ship security plan calling at an ISPS-compliant European Union port facility will, in most countries, be subject to specific procedures and security inspections on a case-by-case basis, leading to the signing of a declaration of security, according to the ports organization.
   “In some countries ships without an approved ship security plan may be refused access, and two countries have indicated that they will detain such ships in line with port state control rules,” the European Sea Ports Organization warned.
   Port facilities that do not have an approved port facility security plan will, in most cases, not be able to receive secured ships, it added. “This means that such ships will be diverted to other facilities in the port which do have an approved port facility security plan.”
   The European Sea Ports Organization reported concerns about the handling of ships that are not certified or have been handled at uncertified port facilities during one of their previous calls.
   It also cited concerns about distortion of competition between ports due to the implementation of the ISPS code.