Marine Transportation Security Regulations (SOR/2004-144)

Security Procedures for Access Control

General

• 236 (1) At all MARSEC levels, security procedures shall be established in the vessel security plan, to the extent that they are appropriate to the vessel’s operations, to control access to the vessel (in particular, access to ladders, access gangways, access ramps, access doors, side scuttles, windows and ports, hatches, mooring lines, anchor chains, cranes and hoisting gear) and to

  • (a) deter the unauthorized introduction of weapons, explosives and incendiaries and other dangerous substances and devices;

  • (b) carry out authorized screening; and

  • (c) secure weapons, explosives and incendiaries and other dangerous substances and devices that are authorized to be on board.

• (2) The vessel security plan shall ensure that the following are established at each MARSEC level:

  • (a) the type of restriction or prohibition to be applied and the means of enforcing it; and

  • (b) the means of identification required to allow persons to board the vessel and remain on the vessel without having their identity questioned.

• (3) The vessel security plan shall ensure that an identification system for verifying the identification of vessel personnel or other persons seeking to board the vessel is established that

  • (a) allows the identification of authorized persons, temporarily or permanently, at each MARSEC level;

  • (b) is coordinated, when practicable, with identification systems at marine facilities used by the vessel; and

  • (c) is updated regularly.

• (4) The vessel security plan shall indicate the frequency of application of any security procedure for access control, particularly if the security procedure is applied on a random or occasional basis.

MARSEC Level 1

237 At MARSEC level 1, security procedures for access control shall be established in the vessel security plan, to the extent that they are appropriate to the vessel’s operations, including

• (a) the authorized screening of persons and goods at a frequency specified in the plan;

• (b) verifications of the identification of any person seeking to board the vessel and examining at least one of the following:

  • (i) joining instructions,

  • (ii) a passenger ticket,

  • (iii) a boarding pass,

  • (iv) work orders or surveyor orders,

  • (v) governmental identification,

  • (vi) a restricted area pass, or

  • (vii) visitor badges issued in accordance with an identification system;

• (c) the denial or revocation of a person’s authorization to be on board if the person is unable or unwilling, at the request of vessel personnel, to establish their identity or to account for their presence on board;

• (d) reporting of any incident referred to in paragraph (c) to the company security officer, vessel security officer, marine facility security officer, port security officer, if applicable, and the appropriate law enforcement agencies;

• (e) means to deter unauthorized access to the vessel;

• (f) the identification of access points that must have secured means of entry or be attended to deter unauthorized access;

• (g) the locking of, or the prevention in some other way of access to, unattended spaces that adjoin areas to which passengers and visitors have access;

• (h) the provision of a designated secure area on board or, in liaison with a marine facility, at a marine facility, for conducting the authorized screening of persons and goods;

• (i) the authorized screening of vessel personnel or their goods by other vessel personnel, if it is clearly required for security reasons;

• (j) the segregation of persons who and their goods that have been through authorized screening from other persons and their goods;

• (k) the segregation of embarking passengers from disembarking passengers;

• (l) the authorized screening before loading, at the frequency specified in the vessel security plan and in liaison with a marine facility, of a defined percentage of vehicles to be loaded aboard a passenger vessel;

• (m) the authorized screening before loading, in liaison with a marine facility, of all unaccompanied vehicles to be loaded on a passenger vessel; and

• (n) a response to the presence of unauthorized persons on board, including the expulsion of unauthorized boarders.

MARSEC Level 2

238 At MARSEC level 2, additional security procedures for access control shall be established in the vessel security plan, to the extent that they are appropriate to the vessel’s operations, including

• (a) an increase in the frequency and detail of the authorized screening of persons and goods;

• (b) the authorized screening of all unaccompanied baggage by means of X-ray equipment;

• (c) the assignment of additional personnel to patrol deck areas during periods of reduced vessel operations to deter unauthorized access;

• (d) a reduction in the number of access points to the vessel;

• (e) the denial of access to visitors who do not have a verified destination;

• (f) the deterrence of waterside access to the vessel, which may include, in liaison with a marine facility or a port administration, providing boat patrols; and

• (g) if the vessel is at a marine facility, the establishment of a restricted area on the shoreside of the vessel, in close cooperation with the facility.

MARSEC Level 3

239 At MARSEC level 3, additional security procedures for access control shall be established in the vessel security plan, to the extent that they are appropriate to the vessel’s operations, including

• (a) the authorized screening of all persons and goods;

• (b) the performance of one or more of the following procedures on unaccompanied baggage:

  • (i) more extensive authorized screening, such as X-raying it from two or more angles,

  • (ii) preparing to restrict or suspend handling it, and

  • (iii) refusing to accept it on board;

• (c) preparation for cooperating with response organizations and marine facilities;

• (d) the limitation of access to the vessel to a single, controlled access point;

• (e) the granting of access to only those responding to the security incident or security threat;

• (f) the suspension of embarkation or disembarkation activities;

• (g) the suspension of operations related to cargo;

• (h) the evacuation of the vessel;

• (i) the movement of the vessel; and

• (j) the preparation for a full or partial search of the vessel.

Security Procedures for Restricted Areas

Establishment of Restricted Areas

• 240 (1) At all MARSEC levels, security procedures for restricted areas shall be established in the vessel security plan, to the extent that they are appropriate to the vessel’s operations, in order to

  • (a) prevent or deter unauthorized access;

  • (b) protect the vessel, security areas within the vessel, security and surveillance equipment and systems and persons authorized to be on board; and

  • (c) protect cargo and ships’ stores from tampering.

• (2) Restricted areas shall be established for the following areas:

  • (a) the navigation bridge, machinery spaces and other control stations;

  • (b) spaces containing the central controls for security and surveillance equipment and systems and spaces that contain the central lighting system controls;

  • (c) ventilation and air-conditioning systems and other similar spaces;

  • (d) spaces with access to potable water tanks, pumps or manifolds;

  • (e) spaces containing dangerous goods or hazardous substances;

  • (f) spaces containing cargo pumps and their controls;

  • (g) cargo spaces and spaces containing ships’ stores;

  • (h) crew accommodations; and

  • (i) any other spaces or areas vital to the security of the vessel.

• (3) The vessel security plan shall contain procedures to

  • (a) identify vessel personnel who are authorized to have access;

  • (b) determine the persons other than vessel personnel who are authorized to have access;

  • (c) determine the conditions under which vessel personnel or other persons are authorized to have access;

  • (d) define the extent of any restricted area;

  • (e) establish the times when access restrictions apply; and

  • (f) post notices in accordance with section 21 of the Act.

MARSEC Level 1

241 At MARSEC level 1, the following security procedures for restricted areas shall be established in the vessel security plan, to the extent that they are appropriate to the vessel’s operations:

• (a) the locking or securing of access points;

• (b) the monitoring and use of surveillance equipment;

• (c) the use of guards or patrols; and

• (d) the use of automatic intrusion detection devices to alert vessel personnel to unauthorized access by the activation of an audible or visual alarm at a location that is continuously attended or monitored.

MARSEC Level 2

242 At MARSEC level 2, the following additional security procedures for restricted areas shall be established in the vessel security plan, to the extent that they are appropriate to the vessel’s operations:

• (a) an increase in the frequency and intensity of monitoring and access controls on existing restricted areas;

• (b) the establishment of restricted areas adjacent to access points;

• (c) the continuous monitoring of each area, using surveillance equipment; and

• (d) the assignment of additional personnel to guard or patrol each area.

MARSEC Level 3

243 At MARSEC level 3, the following additional security procedures for restricted areas shall be established in the vessel security plan, to the extent that they are appropriate to the vessel’s operations:

• (a) the establishment of additional restricted areas on the vessel in proximity to the location of a security incident or the presumed location of a security threat; and

• (b) searches of restricted areas as part of a security sweep of the vessel.

Security Procedures for Handling Cargo

General

• 244 (1) At all MARSEC levels, security procedures in relation to cargo handling shall be established in the vessel security plan, to the extent that they are appropriate to the vessel’s operations, in order to

  • (a) deter and detect tampering;

  • (b) prevent cargo that is not meant for carriage from being accepted and stored on board the vessel;

  • (c) identify cargo that is approved for loading onto the vessel;

  • (d) include inventory control procedures at access points to the vessel; and

  • (e) be able to inspect cargo for dangerous substances and devices at a frequency specified in the plan by one or more of the following means:

    • (i) visual examination,

    • (ii) physical examination,

    • (iii) detection devices such as scanners, or

    • (iv) canines.

• (2) The company security officer or vessel security officer may, with the agreement of the marine facility security officer and, if applicable, the port security officer, make arrangements with shippers or others responsible for the cargo with respect to off-site inspection, sealing, scheduling, supporting documentation and similar matters. The company security officer or vessel security officer, as the case may be, shall inform the marine facility security officer and, if applicable, the port security officer of any arrangement.

MARSEC Level 1

245 At MARSEC level 1, the following security procedures in relation to cargo handling shall be established in the vessel security plan, to the extent that they are appropriate to the vessel’s operations:

• (a) the routine inspection, including for evidence of tampering, of cargo and cargo spaces before and during cargo handling, except where it is unsafe to do so;

• (b) verification that cargo to be loaded matches the cargo documentation or that cargo markings or container numbers match the information provided with shipping documents;

• (c) inspection before loading, in accordance with the frequency specified in the plan and in liaison with marine facilities, of vehicles to be loaded on board ro-ro vessels, car-carriers and passenger vessels; and

• (d) verification, in liaison with marine facilities, of seals or other means used to prevent tampering.