Marine Transportation Security Regulations

234 (1) A vessel security plan shall

• (a) state the name of the vessel’s operator;

• (b) identify the company security officer by name or, if they hold another position, by position, and provide 24-hour contact information;

• (c) in the case of vessel entitled to fly the Canadian flag, be written in English or French;

• (d) be based on the vessel security assessment;

• (e) address each vulnerability identified in the vessel security assessment;

• (f) establish that the vessel’s master has the overriding authority and responsibility to make decisions with respect to the security of the vessel and to request the assistance of the operator or contracting government when necessary; and

• (g) identify the locations of the vessel security alert system activation points.

(2) The vessel security plan shall address the following:

• (a) procedures designed to prevent weapons, explosives, incendiaries, dangerous substances and devices that are intended for use against persons, vessels or marine facilities and whose carriage is not authorized from being taken on board the vessel;

• (b) procedures for the prevention of unauthorized access to the vessel that include the security procedures set out in sections 236 to 239 and, if applicable, sections 260 and 264;

• (c) procedures for the establishment of restricted areas as provided for in section 240;

• (d) procedures for preventing unauthorized access to restricted areas that include the security procedures set out in sections 241 to 243;

• (e) procedures for cargo handling and for ships’ stores and bunkers that include the security procedures set out in sections 244 to 251;

• (f) procedures for monitoring the vessel, the restricted areas on board the vessel and the area surrounding the vessel that include the security procedures set out in sections 252 to 255;

• (g) procedures for responding to security threats, breaches of security and security incidents, including provisions for maintaining critical operations of the vessel or for vessel and marine facility interfacing, that include the security procedures set out in section 256;

• (h) procedures for responding to any security instructions a contracting government may give at MARSEC level 3 in respect of a specific security threat;

• (i) other security procedures for each MARSEC level;

• (j) procedures for evacuation in case of security threats, breaches of security or security incidents;

• (k) duties of shipboard personnel assigned security responsibilities and of other shipboard personnel on security related matters;

• (l) procedures for auditing the security activities;

• (m) procedures for training, drills and exercises associated with the plan;

• (n) procedures for interfacing with marine facilities and other vessels at all MARSEC levels;

• (o) procedures for declarations of security;

• (p) procedures for the periodic review of the plan and for updating it;

• (q) procedures for reporting security incidents;

• (r) procedures to ensure the inspection, testing, calibration and maintenance of any security equipment on board;

• (s) the frequency for testing or calibration of any security equipment on board;

• (t) the frequency of inspections of the vessel; and

• (u) procedures, instructions and guidance on the use of the vessel security alert system, including its testing, activation, deactivation and resetting and how to limit false alerts.