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Port resilience against external manmade threats

Port resilience against external manmade threats concern a port’s ability to prepare, withstand, respond and recover from those external threats.

ResilienceInland shippingMarine shippingPort/terminalTrainsTrucks

Introduction

Port resilience against external manmade threats concern a port’s ability to prepare, withstand, respond and recover from those external threats. These threats include sabotage, terrorism, smuggling, trafficking, insider risk, hostile drones, and physical attacks. They can disrupt critical infrastructure and essential port operations, such as shipping handling or energy supply. Ports therefore need to take measures focused on prevention, response, and recovery from manmade threats.

Value proposition

  • Protects people

    Both workers and society

  • Protects infrastructure and port operations

  • Reduce the likelihood and impact of an incident

Being resilient to external manmade threats protects people (both workers and society), infrastructure and port operations. Security measures, both physical and digital, can reduce the likelihood and impact of an incident. Crisis plans and backup systems help ports continue or restore essential activities. This also strengthens trust among port users and supply-chain partners.

Port applicability

Resilience is relevant to all ports, although risks differ by location and function. Ports handling energy, hazardous substances or large passenger flows may face greater consequences. Smaller ports can be vulnerable due to limited staff, experience, and backup capacity. Each port and every organization in the port should therefore assess its own threats, critical assets and dependencies.

Groups of innovations

  • Threat and vulnerability assessments

    Identify external threats, critical assets, operational dependencies, and assign responsibilities to those risks. Timing: immediate; Pros: supports focused investments, and enables early detection of vulnerabilities, as well as strengthen overall preparedness and response readiness; Cons: requires regular updates.

  • Physical security and access control

    Use barriers, surveillance and restricted areas to protect critical assets, and create alternative power, communication or access options. Timing: short term; Pros: reduces unauthorised access; Cons: may affect daily operations, and costs.

  • Threat detection and monitoring

    Detect suspicious vessels, drones, vehicles or activities at an early stage. Timing: short to medium term; Pros: improves situational awareness; Cons: requires trained staff from port authorities, but also other organizations (army, police, etc.).

  • Crisis and continuity planning

    Prepare response plans, backup procedures and clear responsibilities. Timing: immediate; Pros: limits disruption; Cons: requires regular exercises, and requires involvement of different relevant stakeholders which can be complex.

  • Information sharing and exercises

    Exchange threat information and practise joint responses. Timing: immediate; Pros: improves coordination; Cons: sensitive information can be difficult to share and is sometimes scattered among stakeholders.

Impact

Impact level per aspect
ImpactLevelRemark
Safety and securityVery large impact
Reduces risks to staff, port users and nearby communities.
ResilienceVery large impact
Supports continuity and faster recovery after an incident.
Port-city and communityLarge impact
Limits the consequences of incidents outside the port.
Port efficiencyLimited impact
Adds security procedures but helps prevent major disruption.

Port characteristics

Ports should prioritise measures based on expected and possible risk. Existing security and emergency-response capacity will affect the implementation timeline.

Barriers and enablers

Enablers

  • TchnologyEnabler

    Mature technologies are available for monitoring, detection and access control. Their effectiveness depends on integration and maintenance.

  • DirectionalityEnabler

    Concerns about critical infrastructure creates political support for better port security.

Barriers

  • Stakeholder interactionBarrier

    Preparedness requires cooperation between port operators, companies and public authorities. Different responsibilities can make coordination difficult.

  • KnowledgeBarrier

    Ports may have limited knowledge of emerging threats. Training and information sharing can improve this.

  • EconomicBarrier

    Security measures might require high investments. Their benefits mainly come from preventing incidents and disruption.

How to implement?

  1. Step 1

    Identify threats, critical assets and dependencies

  2. Step 2

    Prioritize the main risks and required measures

  3. Step 3

    Define responsibilities and response procedures

  4. Step 4

    Implement physical and organisational measures

  5. Step 5

    Test plans with relevant stakeholders

  6. Step 6

    Update measures using lessons from exercises

Timeline

The arrow below represents the expected development of the TRL of port resilience against external manmade threats.
* Technical Readiness Level

What should a port do in the next 3 years?

Ports should first assess their threats, critical assets and vulnerabilities. They should then select priority measures and assign clear responsibilities. Crisis and continuity plans must be updated and tested. Critical functions should receive better monitoring, access control and backup capacity. Lessons from exercises should be included in future investment plans.

Investment overview

CAPEX: Investments can include physical barriers, like fences, surveillance, detection systems and secure communication. Backup power and alternative operational capacity may also be required. Larger investments may be needed to protect vulnerable infrastructure. OPEX: Costs include security staff, system maintenance, monitoring and training. Ports must also conduct exercises and update their risk and continuity plans regularly.

Stakeholder overview

Below is an overview of the required involved stakeholders. Port authorities coordinate the overall approach. Terminal operators and security managers protect and operate critical assets. Police, emergency services and national authorities provide information and response capacity. Harbour masters and vessel traffic services support monitoring on the water. Technology providers supply detection, surveillance and access-control systems. National authorities (e.g. defence, policy) may be involved when required by the threat scenario.
Blue stakeholders are essential, white stakeholders are enabling

Knowledge base