ISPS delegation visits Ctg port to see security operations
They gave instructions on removing unstuffing from the port yard and ensuring scanning of export items
A five-member delegation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) visited Chattogram Port from Monday to Wednesday to observe the security operations of the port.
The team visited the port's security arrangement, various establishments, private inland container depots and institutions related to the port facilities.
Their programme ended with a courtesy meeting with Rear Admiral M Shahjahan, chairman of the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA), on 3 August.
Lt Col Mostafa Arif-ur Rahman Khan, director of Chattogram Port (security), said the delegation appreciated various security initiatives of the port during the visit.
In particular, they expressed their satisfaction about the biometric registration for the port entry, separation of the entry and the exit gates, separate access control gate, and the security of the port boundary wall to ensure that no one can enter the protected area.
The ISPS delegation held a meeting with the Port Facility Security Officers (PFSO) on 1 August.
They gave instructions on removing unstuffing from the port yard and ensuring scanning of export items.
They were informed that scanners would be procured soon.
Md Omar Farooq, secretary of the CPA, said the delegation would formally report their observations.
Prior to this visit by the ISPS team, a two-member delegation of the United States Coast Guard visited the Chattogram Port in June to scrutinise the compliance of the ISPS Code.
In consultation with the United States, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is implementing the ISPS code to prevent any terrorist activity from taking place under the guise of transporting goods by sea.
Since 2004, the IMO has made it mandatory to implement the ISPS code for security in ports around the world. Chattogram Port is implementing compliance with this code.
Earlier, the ISPS team visited Chattogram port six times. The last visit was in August 2019.
The CPA has registered biometrics of about one lakh people to enter the port. Among them, 80,000 are car drivers and helpers.
