The Importance of Port Security Barriers
Every year, billions of dollars in valuable cargo is shipped around the world and passes through ports by the ton. In addition, millions of people travel around the world by sea and by air every year. Port security is a collaborative effort by organizations around the world to safeguard the ports, the people and cargo traveling through them, and the countries in which the ports are located from various potential threats. We at Delta Scientific offer several products with applications for port security.
What Exactly Does Port Security Mean?
Some people use the phrase narrowly to refer specifically to seaport security, i.e., protecting the places where passengers and cargo come ashore following a voyage across the ocean. Others use the term more broadly to refer to airports as well as seaports. Delta Scientific offers products for both seaport and airport security, and we use the broader definition of the term that includes both.
Why Is Port Security Important?
Generally speaking, port security protects the vessels that come into port, as well as the passengers and goods that they carry. However, it also involves protecting the ports themselves, as well as the countries in which the ports are located. For example, if a bad actor were to bring something dangerous over on a ship or a plane, such as illegal drugs, port security can prevent it from getting into the country.
Port security can also prevent terroristic attacks. For example, rather than smuggling drugs intended for distribution in the United States, potential terrorists may be smuggling explosives or weapons that they intend to use against civilians. Port security can detect and stop this threat before bad actors have a chance to carry it out. Even if the potential terrorists intend to use vehicles as a weapon in a ramming attack, Delta Scientific port security barriers can stop them effectively even when they are driving a large, fully loaded vehicle traveling at high speeds.
Sometimes the goal is to protect the vessels themselves, as well as their passengers and cargo. For example, a port is a very busy place, and a potential criminal could try to take advantage of the chaos and steal some of the cargo off of a ship or plane. We offer swinging and sliding gates that are crash-rated to stop a speeding vehicle. We also offer anti-climb gates to stop potential criminals on foot.
Controlling access to the site also helps to prevent theft or damage to the vessels themselves. When someone steals a ship, it is called piracy. Stealing a plane is called hijacking, but either offense can result in costly property losses as well as threats to civilians as the stolen vessels could be used in a terroristic attack.
Port security also protects people traveling on planes or ships. For example, human trafficking is the capture and transport of vulnerable individuals for the purpose of exploiting them for profit. Port security personnel are trained to recognize signs that this may be happening and rescue the vulnerable individuals and arrest the perpetrators.
Additionally, port security protects passengers from property crimes, such as theft and violent crimes, such as robbery.
Sources:
https://www.calipsa.io/blog/maritime-port-security
https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/RL31733.html
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