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According to the International Chamber of Shipping, almost 90% of the world trade is done by sea routes. And as per the 2022 survey, 74% of port stakeholders reported their systems or data had been targeted by a breach attempt.
Since seaports are the hub where maritime, land, and digital infrastructures converge, they are vulnerable to multiple security threats. That’s evident from the above stats as well.
The most common maritime security concern is cybersecurity. The malware attacks cause sensitive data, reports, and records to leak and damage the reputation, along with financial losses.
However, that’s not all. Ports are the prime sector where other crimes can thrive as well. In this piece, we will see the most common ones.
Most Common Threats in Maritime Security That Can Cause Serious Trade Losses
Following are the common security threats that destroy businesses, reputation, and sometimes billions of dollars in financial loss.
1. Cyberattacks
Phishing emails, outdated passwords, and poorly secured systems are the greatest threats to ports. The cybercriminals can hijack sensors, cranes, and automated gates and can even redirect an entire vessel.
Plus, if the systems are interdependent on each other, a single breach can even pose a national security threat.
2. Drug Trafficking and Criminal Activities
The ports are natural gateways for goods entering and leaving a country. Hence, they are vulnerable to smuggling the most. Smugglers hide drugs inside legitimate shipments (e.g., within containers of fruits, furniture, or manufactured goods) and then transfer them.
It undermines legitimate trade, increases insurance costs, and damages the reputation of the port or country.
3. Inadequate Infrastructure
Inadequate infrastructure at ports usually happens when port facilities don’t keep up with the demands of modern global trade. It can include aged equipment, a lack of modern technology, and limited capacity to handle large shipments.
Where it causes financial losses, it is also threatening to workers’ safety and the environment.
4. Robbery and Terrorism
High-value goods like electronics, luxury items, or pharmaceuticals are generally the main targets of criminals. Terrorist groups can also target passenger ferries, cruise ships, or cargo vessels to cause casualties and economic disruption.
When operating systems are compromised, it can cause irreversible damage like chain losses and shipment delays worldwide.
5. Cargo Theft
Cargo theft occurs in several ways:
- Criminals break seals or swap containers.
- Employees, contractors, or port workers leak the passwords and security codes to thieves.
- Fake delivery orders, forged bills of lading, or stolen driver credentials let thieves legally “pick up” cargo without raising suspicion.
This high-scale theft can mean millions in losses for businesses. If dangerous or controlled materials are stolen, they could be used for illegal or harmful purposes.
Fortifying Global Ports: Pathways to Secure Global Trade
It is necessary to build multilevel systems to make the shipping terminal more secure. It will ensure that if one layer is breached, others remain intact to protect the trade.
1. Integrate Strong Surveillance
Strong surveillance includes installing CCTVs, sensors, AIS receivers, thermal/IR cameras for night/smoke. Another important approach is to set up a facial recognition and multi-factor authentication system to prevent unauthorized people from accessing the premises.
2. Better Governance
Government actions and policies also directly affect the trade. Even if the port security is compromised, there is someone to take responsibility and mitigate the issue.
Strong governance sets up official channels for sharing intelligence between port police, customs, coast guard, terminal operators, and even neighboring ports. This helps detect threats early and prevent them on the spot.
3. Robust Cybersecurity Measures
Strong cybersecurity measures protect the operational equipment from malfunctioning. It also ensures that important documents, data, and contracts are safe from forgery. When ports have intrusion detection systems, network monitoring, and backups properly intact, they restore services quickly after an intrusion.
4. Awareness and Training of Staff
Most of the time, security issues on the ports start with the lack of awareness of the workers. When the staff fail to spot the bizarre happenings like unusual container seals, or odd vessel behavior, it propagates into major security crises.
Hence, the workers should be trained to improve response timings and prevent major losses. Regular training ensures that staff understand compliance requirements and pass audits without last-minute scrambling.
5. Partnerships Between Stakeholders
Trade routes can not get stronger without strong intelligence ties between stakeholders. For example, real-time alerts from one stakeholder (e.g., a suspicious truck at the gate) can trigger rapid security action from another.
Joint drills between port police, fire services, and terminal operators mean everyone knows their role when an incident happens.
Last Words
Strong ports demand state-of-the-art security measures and constant partnership between stakeholders. When security loopholes are fixed with strong surveillance, global trade flows more smoothly.