International Ship and Port Facility Security Code

The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code ( ISPS Code ) consists of an extensive package of measures for the security of ships and ports. This is a safety feature of the ISPS Code in the supply chain. The agreement was reached on 12 December 2002 under the auspices of the International Maritime Organisation ( IMO) and implemented as a supplement to the 1974 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea ( SOLAS). Triggered the creation of the rules were, inter alia, the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 in New York. Since then, have almost all ships calling at a port, previously explicitly convey what charge they have on board. The authorities of calling at the port have full control rights.

Furthermore, it was determined that the port facilities - which were virtually freely available to all so far - be foreclosed. Access is now possible only for certain groups of people, they must identify themselves regularly and get then for the duration of their stay in the docks an identification card handed out.

In the European Union the ISPS Code was implemented by a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on 31 March 2004. The regulations that should apply only to international ships were extended to vessel traffic within the European Union and its Member States.