A week-long training held in Moroni (1-5 December) strengthened Comoros archipelago's port security capacity, as representatives from national authorities advanced their skills on risk assessment and mitigation.
Organized under the EU-funded Port security Project, the training brought together fifteen participants from the security management and staff teams of the three Comorian ports, along with Port Facility Security Officers (PFSOs) from the Comoros Maritime Authority (ANAM) and the Police National.
Through presentations, practical exercises and port visits, participants deepened their knowledge of conducting risk assessments, identifying effective mitigating security measures to any existing threats. They examined the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to set the alert levels required by the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and ISPS Code.
The programme focused on several core components of port security, including:
- adopting risk-analysis methodologies;
- developing SOPs for crisis response and contingency plans to maintain port operations during emergencies;
- assessing incident-management procedures to enable rapid response and coordination with other security agencies; and
- reviewing emergency and evacuation plans to ensure preparedness for environmental or marine pollution incidents involving hazardous materials transported or stored in port areas.
Under the EU-funded Project on Port Security and Safety of Navigation in Eastern and Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean, IMO aims to assist nine participating countries, including Comoros, to enhance maritime security and safety within the region, in line with the 2050 Africa's Integrated Maritime Strategy.
