Govt sets up Bureau of Port Security for ships and port facilities

Government sets up the Bureau of Port Security under the shipping ministry to strengthen vessel, port and cyber security, with CISF playing a key oversight role

After months in the making, the government has established the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS) under the shipping ministry, notifying its constitution in the Official Gazette. “...the Central Government hereby constitutes a body for the security of vessels and port facilities, to be called the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS) with effect from the date of publication of this notification, which shall be headed by the Director General of Maritime Administration designated as the Director General of BoPS till further orders,” an order dated Saturday and published on Monday said. 

The Directorate General of Shipping — now being renamed the Directorate General of Maritime Administration — will oversee the bureau, with Director General Shyam Jagannathan designated to head the security body. Jagannathan was recently given a two-year extension in his role. 

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the bureau will be responsible for regulatory and oversight functions relating to the security of ships and port facilities. 

It is being modelled on the lines of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security. The BoPS will eventually be headed by an Indian Police Service officer in Pay Level 15. During the one-year transition period, the Directorate General of Maritime Administration will oversee its functioning. 

The BoPS will also ensure the timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information, with a special focus on cyber security, including through a dedicated division to safeguard port information technology (IT) infrastructure from digital threats, the home ministry had said. 

To strengthen port security infrastructure, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has been designated as a Recognised Security Organisation (RSO) for port facilities, with responsibility for undertaking security assessments and preparing security plans for ports. 

The CISF has also been mandated to train and build the capacity of private security agencies (PSAs) engaged in port security.

"These agencies shall be certified and appropriate regulatory measures shall be introduced to ensure that only licensed PSAs operate in this sector," according to the home ministry. 

The government will also replicate lessons learnt from establishing the maritime security framework in strengthening India's aviation security framework.