SUDHEER MAUDHOO,
Minister of BlueEconomy, MarineResources, Fisheries, and Shipping

“Port Louis is the economic driver. It is critical that it is protected from all possible threats”

“9/11 happened more than 20 years ago, but today, in 2024, the Indian Ocean region faces many traditional and non-traditional safety and security challenges, including piracy, armed robberies at sea, terrorism, human trafficking, irregular movement of persons, drugs trafficking, illicit trafficking in wildlife, trafficking of weapons, crimes in the fisheries sector such as IUU fishing, degradation of ocean health, unlawful exploitation of marine resources, and climate change with its related repercussions on environmental security,” the Mauritian Minister of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries, and Shipping said last Tuesday.

Sudheer Maudhoo was delivering a speech on the occasion of a Training Course on Port Security Risk Assessment held at Les Suites Dock 2, United Docks Business Park, Port Louis. He seized the opportunity to remind of the pressing need for bolstering maritime security in the Indian Ocean region. He also emphasised the necessity for comprehensive capacity building across all countries in the region to effectively tackle these challenges, and stressed that such capacity building efforts would lead to enhanced cross-border cooperation, knowledge sharing, and adoption of best practices to ensure a peaceful, stable, and prosperous maritime domain.

The Minister lauded initiatives like the Port Security and Safety of Navigation in Eastern and Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean programme, which has been instrumental in advancing maritime security objectives since its inception in 2020. However, he acknowledged the financial and expertise constraints faced by many developing countries, hindering their ability to fully implement international maritime regulations such as the ISPS Code.

The crucial role of the European Union Port Security Programme

“To address these challenges, the IMO has established an Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP) aimed at assisting countries, particularly those in Africa, Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), in building human and institutional capacities for compliance with the Organization’s regulatory framework,” Minister Maudhoo explained.

He also mentioned the crucial role of the European Union Port Security Programme in promoting and strengthening port security and maritime safety management systems in the region. He emphasized the alignment of these efforts with overarching regional strategies such as the African Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS 2050) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan 2020-2030.

In reference to Mauritius, Minister Maudhoo detailed the progress made under the European Union Port Security Programme, including the completion of a port facility security assessment in Port Louis in 2022. He commended the collaboration with international partners, particularly the IMO, in enhancing maritime security through training and capacity-building initiatives.

The Minister of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries, and Shipping expressed his gratitude to the European Union, the IMO, and all participants for their contributions towards advancing maritime security in the region. He reiterated the importance of fostering a culture of security awareness within the maritime workforce to safeguard critical assets like the port of Port Louis.

“The port of Port Louis is the economic driver of the nation. It is critical that it is protected from any and all possible threats. We believe that this will be achieved by building a culture of security awareness within our workforce, and the types of training being dispensed will surely help our people to sense security threats. The cornerstone of IMO regulations to address maritime security is the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) chapter XI-2, Special Measures to enhance maritime security, which makes mandatory the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code). The ISPS Code is a comprehensive set of measures which enhance the security of ships and port facilities, developed in response to several incidents such as the Achille Lauro hijacking in the Mediterranean in 1985, the bombing of the USS Cole in Aden Harbour, Yemen, in 2000, and the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States. The ISPS Code contains detailed security-related requirements for Governments, port authorities and shipping companies, and is designed to install confidence in the shipping industry from the perspective of the shipper and the port,” he stated.