Maritime transportation is the dominant source of international trade. Marine transport provides prosperity to companies, growth in economies, and binds relationships amongst nations. Port security is implemented to ensure the usage of ports is safe and successful in carrying out tasks. Maritime port security serves to as counterterrorism units within the port domain, while complying with maritime regulations. (Allied Barton Security Services, n.d). Every port is unique and has its own specific needs. Therefore, to best service the industry’s safety it is imperative that port security should be altered to fit each client’s particular demands. In order to maximize customer facility safety, companies such as Allied Barton implemented customized port security services.
Marine transport is a flourishing form of conveyance with a matching growing need for its protection. Billions of dollars of cargo are moved through ports every year, making it heavily significant that proper maritime security is carried out. Port security is exceedingly important for numerous reasons. First off, marine transportation is immensely vulnerable to terrorist attacks (Flynn, 2006). Port security has to prepare for cargo and passenger ship hijacking and piracy encounters and expeditiously plan the inspection of cargo for weapons of mass destruction, arsenal and illegal substances that can be smuggled into ports. For the allowance of marine transportation to continue it is imperative for these terrorist attacks to be eliminated. It is also critical for port security to harmonize the security issues of the free flow of trade and people (U.S Government Accountability Office [GAO], 2014). Lastly, it is important that port security services identify and alleviate port traffic (Preston, 2011), to produce efficiency in maritime transportation. Moreover, the flow of goods needs a complete system to ensure that only legal goods flow into, out of, or through a country. The economies of states or regions be adversely affected by contraband goods. These rigorous factors make it absolutely essential for port security to be carefully implemented throughout all ports. The demands for port security have been increasing and because companies and ports vary, its security needs vary as well.
Companies need customized port securities. Every port and company is unique with diversified needs, and in order to best serve these specific needs port security needs to cater to them. There are many various factors for each client that security companies have to take into account when designing a perfectly fitting security system. Some of these various factors that set ports apart from each other are as follows; geographical and varying weather patterns that alter the functions of company ports, unique layout and size, economical and financial circumstances, and lastly the differing culture of the company and the companies nation. Collecting all valuable factors and data from their clients, security companies are able to create solutions that work together to provide the most effective security system that acts both as a deterrent and a means for quick response. (The Global Facilitation Partnership for Transportation and Trade [GFP], n.d).
After September 11th, air travel safety was completely reconstructed. In the case study concerning a security company, Honeywell, and its client George Bush Intercontinental Airport demonstrated that a company customizing its port security services to tend to meet the clients’ security needs (Honeywell, 2006). The George Bush Intercontinental Airport is located in Houston, Texas and performs exceptionally well. The airport has the highest on-time performance record of any major U.S airport and has over 700 departures every day. The perimeter of the airport is 30-miles that needs to be under careful and precise watch at all times. After September 11th, Honeywell designed a new detection system that supplies the airport with the most advanced surveillance technology of any airport in the U.S. This new technology allowed operators to view miles of the airports perimeter. The systems are fully integrated with Honeywell’s Digital Video Manager and Pro-Watch system at the airport, as the cameras are able to link to geospatial maps for the simplest evaluation of targets detected by ground-based radar and video analytics (Honeywell, 2006). This case study exemplifies to what extent a security company will go to fulfill its clients’ specific security need. The George Bush Intercontinental Airport needed the highest security protection on its perimeters and Honeywell provided them with the most advanced solution than anywhere else in the county.
Security Companies, such as Allied Barton, provide many essential necessities for their clients. Security companies’ design plans and solutions to how company ports will be protected while providing the technology to best fulfill these services. The security companies are then able to manage the port facility inspections, surveying its client’s perimeters while also closely examining everything within the ports, specifically what is coming in and out of them (MI News Network, 2011). The security company screens cargoes for illegal or dangerous substances. The process of inspecting cargo can be very costly along with delaying the shipping process to complete inspection creates another cost burden (GAO, 2014). Therefore, security companies need to provide the most efficient services as well as effective methods to keep prices low for their clients. Even though these services are costly, a report has shown that it would be more costly to a company and the company’s economy if there were a terrorist attack through their ports compared to the amount of money it costs to perform such inspections. Security Companies are able to fulfill all of these tasks while also abiding by the Accountability for Every Port Act and Maritime Transportation Security Act (Allied Barton Security Services, n.d). The Accountability for Every Port Act is a legislation that sets standards for security equipment to scan for radiation of all imported containers that enter through United State ports. This legislation also contains requirements to inspect “high-risk containers” before they reach United States ports. The Maritime Transportation Security Act is an act to amend the Merchant Marine Act, 1936. This act established a program to prevent a maritime transportation security incident, defined as any incident that results in a loss of life, environmental damage, transportation system disruption or economic disruption to a particular area. Providing these services secures client safety, allowing for these companies to able to continue doing business in transporting goods.
Allied Barton has proven that by tailoring security services to their customers’ needs it maximizes their customer facility safety. Allied Barton manages over three million hours every year in services and comprehensive security (Allied Barton Security Services, n.d). The company offers full customization by first studying their clients past performance references, evaluating and then determining what system would work best with that company and its many varying factors. The security companies programs are designed to ensure effective communication strategies that result in a high level of security awareness throughout its client’s port (Allied Barton Security Services, n.d). Allied Barton includes in the contract compliance technology with its clients ensuring that their consumers obtain the best-suited security technology for its company. Allied Barton’s services are so professionally skilled and customized that the company provides leaders and managers that are trained experts in every aspects of maritime compliance such as, Maritime Transportation Safety Act (MTSA), International Ship and Port Security Code (ISPS), Safe Ports Act, US Coast Guard Maritime Safety Regulations, and State Statutes. Not only is Allied Barton compliant, but they run one of the most in depth and thorough MTSA training programs in the industry in areas that include, port safety and security.
The Allied Barton Company efforts in the provision of tailored security services to its clients are commendable. The company uses the most modern technologies to provide its client with the best solutions to the security issues. The company studies the unique nature of the clients to establish the most appropriate approaches, contracts compliance technology for the customers and trains the officer to implement the security system. These strategies ensure that the customers are ready for changes without creating a security gap in the process of transition.
The increasing global competition has since initiated significant changes in the international logistics chain including ports affecting the way of conducting businesses in the future (“The evolution of ports in a competitive world,” n.d). From this perspective, the need for the customized security system that meets the international standards and without compromising on efficiency is the way to the future. The International Labor Organization and the International Maritime Organization directs that security policies need periodical reviews to update them (“Security in Ports,” 2004, p. 8). That is not different in customized approaches.
References
Allied Barton Security Services. (n.d.). Port security services address maritime and vessel safety issues. Retrieved from http://www.alliedbarton.com/Industries-Served/Government-Services/Ports
Flynn, S. E. (2006, March 09). The continued vulnerability of the global maritime transportation system. Retrieved from http://www.cfr.org/border-and-port-security/continued-vulnerability-global-maritime-transportation-system/p10074
Honeywell. (2006). Sophisticated Honeywell surveillance system protects George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas. Retrieved from http://www.security.honeywell.com/documents/OgeorgeHV.pdf [Case Study]
MI News Network. (2011, June 03). The importance of port security. Retrieved from http://www.marineinsight.com/maritime-law/the-importance-of-port-security/
Preston, H. (2011, September 6). Yes, We Really Need Port-Security. Retrieved from http://packetpushers.net/yes-we-really-need-port-security/
Security in Ports. (2004). Pdf file. Retrieved on March 19, 2016 from http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_dialogue/---sector/documents/normativeinstrument/wcms_162328.pdf
The Evolution of Ports in a Competitive World. (n.d). Retrieved on March 19, 2016 from http://www.ppiaf.org/sites/ppiaf.org/files/documents/toolkits/Portoolkit/Toolkit/module2/ port_dynamics.html
The Global Facilitation Partnership for Transportation and Trade. (n.d.). Maritime Transport and Port Operations. Retrieved from http://www.gfptt.org/node/67
U.S Government Accountability Office. (2014, June 4). Maritime Security: Progress and challenges with selected port security programs. Retrieved from http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-14-636T
