Running a Secure Port: A Port Security Management and Facility Protection Training Course
1Summary
A port can have an ISPS-compliant security plan sitting in a binder and still fail on the ground, because plans don't manage themselves — people do. The difference between a port that stays secure and one that collects findings at every inspection usually comes down to whether managers are actively running the security programme or just signing off on it once a year. The Running a Secure Port: Port Security Management Training Course, delivered by Arab British Fellowship Training Academy, is built for the managers who own that day-to-day responsibility across port facilities and the ships that call at them.
The course opens with the management challenge that sits behind every security plan — leading teams, allocating resources, and keeping a security culture alive between audits — before moving into designing facility protection systems, overseeing ship security from a port authority's perspective, and assessing risk in a way that actually shapes decisions. It closes with what happens when something goes wrong: managing incidents, handling the regulatory follow-through that comes after, and sustaining performance over time rather than letting standards slip once the pressure is off. Participants leave equipped to manage port security as an ongoing operation, not a periodic compliance task.
2Objectives and target group
Who Should Attend?
- Port facility managers and security managers
- Port Facility Security Officers (PFSOs)
- Shipping company managers and operations personnel
- Maritime safety and compliance officers
- Government and regulatory authority representatives
What You'll Gain
- Lead security teams and allocate resources to sustain a working security programme
- Design port facility protection systems suited to real traffic and access patterns
- Oversee ship security coordination from a port authority perspective
- Assess and prioritise maritime security risk to guide management decisions
- Manage security incidents and the regulatory follow-through that comes after
- Sustain a strong security culture and improve performance continuously
3Course Content
Module 1: The Management Challenge Behind Every Security Plan
- Why plans succeed or fail based on leadership, not documentation alone
- Managing security teams, resources, and responsibilities across the port
Module 2: Designing Port Facility Protection Systems That Hold Up
- Security levels, protective measures, and access control in daily operations
- Building facility protection procedures around real traffic and staffing
Module 3: Ship Security Under Port Authority: Coordination and Oversight
- A port manager's view of ship security requirements and coordination
- Aligning port and ship security procedures during calls and turnarounds
Module 4: Assessing and Prioritising Maritime Security Risk
- Structured risk assessment methods for ports and facilities
- Turning risk findings into management decisions and resource allocation
Module 5: When Something Goes Wrong: Incident Response and Regulatory Follow-Through
- Managing security incidents and crisis communication
- Meeting compliance obligations and handling inspection findings afterward
Module 6: Sustaining a Security Culture: Continuous Improvement and Team Performance
- Monitoring security performance over time, not just at audit points
- Building a security culture that holds up between inspections