Amit Shah chairs meeting to set up Bureau of Port Security

New Delhi, Dec 19: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah has convened a high-level meeting to finalise the constitution of a dedicated Bureau of Port Security (BoPS) aimed at strengthening the security of vessels and port facilities across the country.

The meeting was attended by the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, who also holds the Civil Aviation portfolio, along with senior officials.

During the discussions, Shah underlined the need for a comprehensive and robust port security framework nationwide.

He directed that security arrangements should be implemented in a graded, risk-based manner, factoring in vulnerabilities, trade volume, geographical location and other relevant parameters.

The Bureau of Port Security will be established as a statutory body under Section 13 of the newly promulgated Merchant Shipping Act, 2025.

Headed by a Director General, the BoPS will function under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and will be responsible for regulatory and oversight functions related to the security of ships and port facilities.

The new body is being modelled on the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). The BoPS will be headed by an IPS officer at Pay Level-15.

During a one-year transition period, the Director General of Shipping (DGS/DGMA) will serve as the Director General of the Bureau.

The proposed body will also focus on the timely collection, analysis, and exchange of security-related information, with special emphasis on cyber security.

A dedicated division will be created to protect port information technology infrastructure from digital threats.

To further strengthen port security, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has been designated as a Recognised Security Organisation for port facilities.

CISF will be responsible for conducting security assessments and preparing security plans for ports.

It will also train and build the capacities of Private Security Agencies engaged in port security. These agencies will be certified, and regulatory measures will be introduced to ensure that only licensed PSAs operate in the sector.

The meeting also noted that best practices and lessons from the maritime security framework could be replicated in the aviation security domain to enhance overall infrastructure security.