New Delhi, December 19
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah convened a meeting for the constitution of a dedicated body, the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS), for the security of vessels and port facilities. The meeting was attended by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Minister of Civil Aviation.
During the meeting, Shah emphasized the need to establish a robust port security framework across the country. He directed that security measures should be implemented in a graded and risk-based manner, taking into account vulnerabilities, trade potential, location, and other relevant parameters.
The BoPS shall be constituted as a statutory body under the provisions of Section 13 of the newly promulgated Merchant Shipping Act, 2025. The Bureau, headed by a Director General, shall function under the aegis of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) and shall be responsible for regulatory and oversight functions relating to the security of ships and port facilities. The Bureau is being modeled on the lines of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). The BoPS shall be headed by an IPS officer (Pay Level-15). During the transition period of one year, the Director General of Shipping (DGS/DGMA) shall function as the Director General, BoPS.
The BoPS shall also ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information, with a special focus on cyber security, including a dedicated division to safeguard port IT infrastructure from digital threats. In order 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 preparation of security plans for ports.
CISF has also been mandated to train and build the capacities 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. During the meeting, it was also noted that lessons learned from the maritime security framework shall be replicated in the aviation security domain.
