Security is to be shared.

(From Lloyds List)

THE days are now ticking away to the July 1 implementation date of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code and all sorts of people are realising that it is for real.

Worth noting that a properly working ship security system is supposed to empower the ship, and is not some additional weapon conferred upon port officials, the better to bully those aboard the vessel.

There could be, however, problems ahead, if the experience of a shipmaster working for a well-organised, fully compliant company is anything to go by.

Reported in the Nautical Institute Seaways, the master of the ship duly sent his Declaration of Security before arrival, but this occasioned no response as the port in question had not yet nominated its port facility security officer.

The ship, which had in place a proper audited system for logging in visitors discovered that official visitors were openly hostile to being logged in and required to carry security tags (as people do in most offices ashore).

Immigration, customs and other officials evidently thought that security was for lesser mortals and did not apply to them!