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The ISPS Code: Ship Security in Practice

The International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, made mandatory through SOLAS Chapter XI-2 and in force since 2004, established a standardized framework for assessing and managing maritime security risk across ships and port facilities.

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Security levels and the plan

ISPS works on three security levels, 1 (normal), 2 (heightened) and 3 (exceptional), and each ship operates to an approved Ship Security Plan (SSP) that sets the measures for each level. A Declaration of Security may be completed at the ship/port interface where the parties need to agree responsibilities.

People and certificates

Each ship has a Ship Security Officer (SSO) and each company a Company Security Officer (CSO); port facilities have their own security officers. Compliance is evidenced by the International Ship Security Certificate (ISSC), and ships carry a Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) that can quietly signal a security threat to the authorities.

Demonstrable, not theoretical

As with ISM, the standard is practical: access control, restricted areas, drills and exercises must be real and evidenced. Port State Control will test whether the crew can actually operate the plan, not just produce it.

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Port State Control: What It Checks and How to Be ReadyWhat a Real Internal ISM, ISPS and MLC Audit CoversWhy Full Document Review Beats Spot-Checks

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