The increasing emphasis on security measures in the maritime sector has not escaped the Scandinavian countries. As a leading shipping nation, Norway has been at the forefront of this development.
One of the measures taken in international maritime security is the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO’s) adoption of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS). The code was adopted in the aftermath of the 11 September, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and with the knowledge that ships and other mobile offshore units could pose a threat to international security, e.g. as a carrier of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons. Although the primary aim is to prevent terrorist acts, the new measures will also counteract other maritime security risks such as piracy, theft, stowaways and smuggling.
