Homework Responses Wk 6 & 2

Good day Classmates and Professor, 

This week, we are tasked with responding to the following questions: 

Explain the specific security challenges encountered in the port maritime environment and discuss what a risk-based management framework looks like as it applies to this mode of transportation. Discuss the Megaports Initiative. From your perspective, why was this program not advanced to its’ initial goal of 100 ports? What port security challenge is it truly difficult to address?

Specific Port security threats are wide ranging, very difficult to predict, and protect against. Port security issues are: terrorism, criminal activity (from transnational organized criminals to Petty criminal activity), cargo theft, extortion, human trafficking, corruption and economic espionage to name a few. (K.Bernard, 2015) Risk-based management is based off of assessments within the Port security overall assessment. It is based on what security risks are most likely to occur or happen, and then those most likely to happen are guarded against with priority status.  The mega Port initiative is based off the threat of nuclear theft. This initiative was created to combat the greatest threat of nuclear materials worldwide, and over 800 million dollars were spent on mega ports in security enhancements worldwide. This initiative was cut short due to funding, plain and simple, the cost put forth was too great. 

"As of August 2012, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) had completed 42 of 100 planned Megaports projects in 31 countries and, as of December 2011, NNSA had spent about $850 million on the Megaports Initiative (Initiative). NNSA’s Initiative has equipped these seaports with radiation detection equipment, established training programs for foreign personnel, and created a sustainability program to help countries operate and maintain the equipment. However, the administration’s fiscal year 2013 budget proposal would reduce the Initiative’s budget by about 85 percent, and NNSA plans to shift the Initiative’s focus from establishing new Megaports to sustaining existing ones. As a result, NNSA has suspended ongoing negotiations and cancelled planned deployments of equipment in five countries." (Gao.gov, 2012) 

The greatest Port security threat is definitely the threat of asymmetric warfare in the form of terrorism, and the potential for attacks on the port, Port personnel, cargo and the ships that enter, going in and out on a daily basis, semi-freely moving throughout. Ports are massive, similar to a countries land borders, and relatively too much for any security force to cover all of it at one time. This is how attacks occur, such as the attack on the USS Cole in the early 2000's. A simple, small craft piloted by one man, carrying massive amount of explosives, was a cheap and effective way to attack a US Naval vessel and create millions in damage and loss of life. These types of attacks are nearly impossible to protect against and constant training and vigilance must occur if Port security is to stand a chance. 

Resources utilized: 

COMBATING NUCLEAR SMUGGLING Megaports Initiative Faces Funding and Sustainability Challenges, Gao.gov., 2012, Retrieved from: https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-13-37.pdf

PORT SECURITY-Threats and Vulnerabilities Case: Takoradi Port Kusi, Bernard, 2012, Retrieved from: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/38128067.pdf

https://www.dhs.gov/secure-freight-initiative

-Dave