It is mandatory to appoint a Port Facility Security Officer (PFSO), if you manage a port facility in the United Kingdom. This is one of the major requirements under the International Ship & Port Facility Code aka ISPS Code. This code has been implemented in the UK by the Ship and Port Facility Regulations 2004. The definition of ‘Port facility’ includes several areas such as waiting berths, Anchorages and Approaches from seaward etc. This can vary from a large sea freight terminal to an individual wharf or berth. Many more details about this security training are listed here:
Detail on Port Facility Security Officer Training:
A Port Facility Security Officer is usually accountable to cover everything engaged in port facility. A single officer might be responsible for more than just one facility. Every Port Facility Security officer is bound to complete a training-course run by a trainer, approved by the MTS aka Maritime and Transport Security division at the Department of Transport. This training aims to provide an appointed Port-Facility-officer with in-depth knowledge, expertise and skills they require to comply with the rules & regulations set out in the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code.
Training should be provided to other personnel who are accountable to carry out security functions. General-security-awareness training is a must for the other non-security staffs who are working at the port facility.
Training materials covering Port-Security Training:
The staffs who are working in and around ships and ports must be trained with training resources from the Department of Transport as part of the Security-Training-Programme. Apart from the essential resources for training the personnel with specific security duties, the Department of Transport also offers materials for providing trainings on general-security-awareness.
Essential training-films from DFT or Department of Transport can be ordered to cover a few specific security topics as discussed below:
1. Safe harbours:
This is suitable for the induction training of all the personnel working at ports.
2. Maritime freight security:
This is suitable for the security-staffs who are working in Passenger (PAX) or Container roll-on roll-off (CRR) port facilities.
3. Security:
It is intended to assist with the Security-awareness training of ships’ crew members.
These films are supplied absolutely free-of-charge to the ports and organizations operating UK-registered ships. Other training films that are not-so-specific to the maritime environment but yet cover the provisions of impeccable-security-measures are available as well.
Learning packages:
DFT or Department of Transport proffers hard-copy training materials for maritime security. To train the port-security stuffs, a set of training-modules is provided. This module is intended for the initial training and refresher training of security personnel, which covers every requirement, set out in the port-facility-security instructions issued by DFT.
For the Drills & Exercise guidance, the need of a document that works like an ‘Aide Memoire’ arises. A basic guidance is essential for those who are involved in organizing maritime-security drills & exercise.
Non-approved training:
Training organizations that have not been approved by the MTS are found to offer trainings on PFSO courses under ports and port facilities. MTS does not recognize any approval or certifications from any training provider who are out of its website’s list. On attending a training course from an unapproved training provider, a Port Facility Security Officer has to attend few other courses again from an approved provider on the DFT list.
Port Facility Security program must be implemented on the ships for sale for a safe and better journey.
