PORT SECURITY VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT
Field Experience
Vulnerabilities Checklist
I.
PHYSICAL SECURITY AND ACCESS CONTROL
Standard Operating Procedures
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Local port security committee
Crime threat assessment
Terrorism threat and vulnerability assessments
Security manual, procedures, emergency response plans
Communications between security force and local law enforcement
Restricted areas using an employee identification card system
Require display of employee identification cards by employees
Port visitors not permitted in office areas of terminals and warehouses.
Formal guidelines for computer security
Computerized informational access is password controlled
Firearms restrictions in place
Perimeter Fence Line
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Intact, taut, well-secured, barbed wire, 8 feet high
Reinforcement with barriers or berms
Alarm systems monitored from a central control point
Parking
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Parking areas outside of fenced operational areas
Employees exiting cargo and passenger facilities pass through a controlled area under
supervision of security personnel.
Employees visiting their motor vehicle during work shifts must notify management or security
personnel.
Access to employee parking areas is restricted by a permit system.
Temporary permits for visitors.
Access Points
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Gates in disuse are permanently sealed.
Essential, high use gates secured by extra padlocks, case hardened steel chains, or deadlocking
bolt.
Gates equipped with a recording system to document inspection stops by security personnel
during routine patrols.
Separate gates for personnel and vehicle traffic.
Gate alarms monitored from a central point.
Manned gatehouses, equipped with telephones, at vehicle access points.
CCTV systems: terminal interiors and perimeter; record entries and exits through main gate;
images of container and vehicle registrations.
Information is stored to document release of specific containers to particular drivers.
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Lighting
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Clear illumination for perimeters, fence lines, entrances, exits, gatehouses.
Terminals illuminated to the level of twilight, even when there is no activity.
Ships’ decks illuminated in darkness and restricted visibility.
Buildings
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Near warehouses, sheds, and terminals, a 10-foot buffer zone
Remove containers obstructing the view of building entrances by security.
Exterior doors and windows have locking devices and alarms.
Computer rooms and areas with confidential information are alarmed.
Key control policy with a master ledger.
Regular inspections of locks and key control systems.
Security Force Management
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Minimum hiring standards.
Mandatory training
A validated, current security manual
Security patrols of terminals, gates, fences, and buildings.
Security personnel complete daily work sheets recording duties performed and times.
Enhanced Measures for Physical Security and Access Control in Periods of
Heightened Risk
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II.
Employees with access to restricted areas are subject to background and criminal history checks.
Photo ID badges displayed by seaport employees, vessel crewmembers, carrier employees,
longshoremen, vendors, passengers, and visitors to prevent unauthorized access to restricted
areas.
Intrusion Detection Systems in place (e.g., video monitoring, remote sensors and alarms,
computerized recoding instrumentation).
CARGO SECURITY
Delivery of Cargo
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Gate passes issued to control and identify those authorized to pick up cargo.
Company names clearly marked on all equipment.
Cargo is released only to the carrier specified in the delivery order
Identity of trucker/company verified before shipment release.
Access documentation areas limited to authorized personnel
Shipping documents are safeguarded from theft.
Container seal number are verified against documents
Seals are checked for integrity.
Interiors of conveyances are checked for stolen merchandise.
Drivers sign for shipments legibly and in ink.
Reception of Cargo
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Drivers entering facilities with deliveries obtain gate passes.
Drivers show identification.
Carriers’ company names are marked on all equipment.
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Delivery documents are closely scrutinized.
Seal numbers verified against documents and checked for integrity.
Cargo shipments verified upon receipt.
Security of Cargo During Lading and Unlading from Vessels and Railcars
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Cargo is moved directly from railcars or vessels to storage facilities and vice versa.
Seals are checked on all containerized shipments before arrival/departure/transfer.
Empty containers are opened, examined, and resealed, and stored door to door.
Storage of Loose Cargo
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Properly stacked, fenced, parallel to fences and walls, unimpeded views
Documentation Review and Control
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Ocean manifests for cargo to be unladed are transited electronically to Customs in advance of
vessel arrival.
Bills of lading checked for accuracy before acceptance.
Documentation adequately describes cargo, including weights and piece counts.
Cargo documentation is closely guarded to avoid documentation fraud.
Cargo Control, Inventories, and Cargo Reconciliation
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Accurate lists of all cargo in facilities; Location charts.
Segregation of import cargo, export cargo, and domestic cargo.
Segregation of delivery and receiving operations.
Immediate reporting of overages and shortages.
High Value Merchandise
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Stored in cages to resist forced entry with separate logs and procedures.
High value cargo in containers is stacked in upper tiers to limit accessibility.
Seals and Sealing Practices
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Seals inspected whenever sealed containers enter/leave facilities.
Evidence of broken seals or tampering reported to security; Contents tallied.
Unsealed containerized shipments are sealed at the point of entry and the seal number is noted
on shipping documents.
Seals are stored in secure places with tight restrictions on access and a log.
Frequent inspections of seals, numbers, dates, times, and places of examination.
Equipment Control
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Strict controls on access and keys to mules, trucks, and loaders.
Equipment is kept in a secure and specified area when not in use.
Personnel Security
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Pre-employment background, criminal records checks on prospective employees.
Fingerprint checks (if permitted by law) on prospective employees.
Drug awareness and security education programs.
Photo identification cards or badges required to access restricted areas.
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Audit Trails, Correcting Vulnerabilities, and Reviewing Procedures
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Procedures for investigation of unauthorized removal of cargo or containers.
Procedures to identify and correct deficiencies which lead to unauthorized cargo/container
removal.
Managers review procedures frequently to identify new threats and vulnerabilities.
Enhanced Measures for Cargo Security During Periods of Heightened Risk
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III.
Strict limitations on access to foreign cargo shipping/receiving areas.
CCTV systems monitor lading/unlading, and in cargo and trucking facilities.
Automated access control systems monitor access to restricted areas.
Use of non-intrusive technology to identify contraband and/or verify cargo shipments
Coordinated seaport activities to deter internal conspiracies.
SECURITY OF PASSENGERS AND CREW
General
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Systems restrict/detect prohibited weapons, incendiaries, or explosives aboard passenger vessels,
on persons, or in luggage, cargo, and ships’ stores.
Gangway security, including Photo ID, electronic systems, to prevent unauthorized boarding and
re-boarding after port calls.
Timely and accurate passenger and crew manifests.
Training for ships’ crews in security-related duties.
Coordination of ship and terminal security measures when ships are in port.
Enhanced Measures for Passenger and Crews Security During Periods of
Heightened Risk
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Strict limits on access to areas where international passengers are arriving.
Limited/designated access to terminal areas via metal detectors and x-ray systems.
Automated access controls (mag cards, prox readers) vs. keys for terminal facilities.