IMO Updates ISPS Figures

The IMO released ISPS Code implementation figures as of June 16, 2004. To date, 39 governments have provided responses indicating 21,347 ships from those nations are subject to the ISPS Code; 16,570 ship security plans have been submitted to these governments; and 6,127 International Ship Security Certificates (ISSCs) have been issued. Of the 6,117 port facilities identified by these governments, 1,970 have submitted security plans and 663 have been approved. This data indicates that at least 22% of the ships and 67% of the port facilities of these 39 countries have little hope of timely compliance since they have not even submitted security plans for review. The News Release does not identify the 39 governments providing responses. This report updates an IMO News Release of June 11. Comparison of the two reports raises some questions. While the new report indicates that one additional country has submitted data, the number of ships liable to the ISPS Code is unchanged and the number of port facilities increased by only three. Thus, this newly reporting country apparently has no SOLAS vessels and has only three significant port facilities. The number of ship security plans submitted rose from 16,465 to 16,570 (an increase of 105 – modest). The number of ISSCs issued went from 4,841 to 6,127 (a healthy increase proportionally). As noted above, the number of port facilities involved rose from 6,114 to 6,117. Mysteriously, the number of port facility security plans submitted dropped from 2,044 to 1,970. The report says only ‘revised figure’. The number of port facility security plans approved rose from 654 to 663 (modest). This new report is consistent with unofficial reports indicating that compliance by ship owners (while not complete) far exceeds compliance by port facility operators. (HK Law).