International Ship & Port Security Code (Ratings) –ISPS

The International Ship and Port Facility
Security Code (ISPS Code) is a comprehensive set of measures to enhance the security
of ships and port facilities, developed in response to the perceived threats
to ships and port facilities in the wake of the 9/11 attacks
in the United States. 

In essence, the Code takes the approach
that ensuring the security of ships and port facilities is a risk management
activity and that, to determine what security measures are appropriate, an
assessment of the risks must be made in each particular case. The purpose of
the Code is to provide a standardized, consistent framework for evaluating risk, enabling Governments to offset changes in threat with changes in vulnerability for ships and port facilities through determination
of appropriate security levels and corresponding security measures.