New Delhi [India], December 19 : Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah convened a meeting to establish a dedicated body, the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS), to secure vessels and port facilities.
The meeting was attended by the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, and the Minister of Civil Aviation K Rammohan Naidu, according to an official release from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
During the meeting, Shah emphasised the need to establish a robust port security framework nationwide. He directed that security measures be implemented in a graded, risk-based manner, taking into account vulnerabilities, trade potential, location, and other relevant parameters.
The Bureau of Port Security (BoPS) shall be established as a statutory body under Section 13 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025. The Bureau, headed by a Director General, shall function under 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 release said.
The Bureau is being modelled on the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). The BoPS shall be headed by an IPS officer (Pay Level-15). During the one-year transition period, the Director General of Shipping (DGS/DGMA) shall serve as the Director General, BoPS, it said.
The BoPS shall also ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information, with a special focus on cybersecurity, including a dedicated division to safeguard port IT infrastructure from digital threats.
To strengthen port security infrastructure, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has been designated a Recognised Security Organisation (RSO) for port facilities, with responsibility for conducting security assessments and preparing 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.