Launching A New Era Of Responsibility In Maritime Security

It is widely recognised and acknowledged that the Maritime Security Industry is in a state of turmoil and chaos. The vast majority of those individuals and organizations professing to be “Maritime Security Experts” are anything but. The industry is undisciplined, unregulated and – rightly so – regarded with caution bordering on suspicion and alarm.

Recent unfortunate incidents (notably in the Horn of Africa region) have highlighted the need for the industry to get it’s act together and start imposing professional standards and weeding out the rogue elements that proliferate it.

It is with that in mind that the International Association of Maritime Security Professionals has been formed.

Acting within the terms of a robust Constitution and a rigourous Code of Conduct, the IAMSP (or, as it is more commonly referred to, MarSecPro) seeks to establish clear, professional guidelines and a strict self-regulatory environment in a bid to make this currently contentious industry more widely acceptable and accepted – by governmental and non-governmental bodies, by the shipping industry in general (including seafarers, shipowners, PandI Clubs and Insurers) and all other parties involved in the shipping industry which accounts for the carriage of some 90% of the world’s trade.

Individual and Corporate Members are drawn from within the maritime and security industries (military and civilian) and from those outside that can demonstrate an adequate depth of knowledge and/or experience that will serve the MarSecPro main objective of building a sound and reputable self-regulating professional body. In short, by establishing high standards of professionalism within the Association, membership thereof will provide potential users such as shipowners with the high degree of comfort that will allow them to select a Member in the justified confidence that the Member is professionally qualified and experienced to deliver a professional Maritime Security service.

The Association believes, and is confident that, this initiative will be seen as a great leap forward and is in the very best interests of the shipping industry – ensuring the safety, welfare and safe passage of seafarers, their vessels and cargoes.

The Association also provides a forum for expert advice and intelligence sharing, assessment of, and research into, new technologies, strategies and equipment in addition to the provision of Expert Opinion and Witnesses to the legal profession and professional comment to the media. Some Members have expressed a willingness to address conferences on all the issues surrounding Maritime Security.

Press enquiries and further details are available from jdalby@iamsp.org

Further details about the Constitution and Professional Code of Conduct are freely available on the MarsecPro web site (still under development, but live) – www.iamsp.org . See especially the “Watch this space” tab in the upper right of the Home Page.

Applications for Membership may be directed towards amcdougall@iamsp.org
The International Association of Maritime Security Professionals (MarSecPro) is a non-profit organization, registered in the UK, committed to raising the standards of the maritime security industry worldwide.