The Republic of Seychelles has strengthened its maritime security governance through a workshop supporting the establishment of a National Maritime Security Risk Register (NMSRR).
Held in Victoria (17-20 November), the workshop brought together 25 Seychelles officials for this essential exercise. NMSRRs help national administrations identify, assess, and prioritize security threats to the maritime sector.
IMO promotes a whole-of-government approach, applying risk-based tools to identify security gaps and guide future policy development. This holistic process considers multiple factors, including capacity building and audit readiness.
The NMSRR is expected to become a central element of Seychelles' maritime security architecture, enabling the country to:
- Identify and prioritize maritime threats.
- Allocate resources more efficiently.
- Coordinate agencies effectively.
- Lay the foundation for a future National Maritime Security Strategy.
Opening the workshop, Seychelles Minister of Transport, Ms. Veronique (Laporte) Porte, stated: "This workshop marks a significant step, moving from planning to implementation, as this workshop will bring all agencies together to identify and prioritize maritime security risks and define clear responsibilities for action."
As a Signatory State to the Jeddah Amendment to the Djibouti Code of Conduct 2017 (DCoC/JA), Seychelles is required to implement an NMSRR to strengthen national coordination and structured risk assessments.
This initiative is a part of the EU-funded project on Port Security and Safety of Navigation. Covering Eastern and Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean, the project aims at enhancing regional maritime security and safety in line with the 2050 Africa's Integrated Maritime Strategy.
IMO commended Seychelles for advancing the development of its National Maritime Security Risk Register (NMSRR), underscoring that maritime security is not the responsibility of any single agency, but the product of shared risks, responsibilities and solutions.
The workshop built on the success of the July 2025 event, launching a fully operational National Maritime Security Committee (NMSC) for Seychelles.
Dignitaries in attendance included Brigadier General Jean Attala, Vice Chairman of the Board of the Seychelles Maritime Safety Authority (SMSA) and Captain Daniel Adam, CEO of SMSA. Participants represented the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Information Sharing Coordination Centre (NISCC), Marine Police, Seychelles Airports Authority, Seychelles Port Authority, Seychelles Coast Guard, Seychelles Maritime Safety Authority (SMSA) and Seychelles Fisheries Authority.
