Maritime Security

Maritime Security and Cyprus Flag Vessels

The following information and procedures must be readily available and must be followed for maritime security related matters:

All requests related to maritime security matters concerning Cyprus Flag Ships must be sent to:

DEPARTMENT OF MERCHANT SHIPPING
Offices: Kyllinis Street, Mesa Geitonia, Lemesos, Cyprus
Postal Adress: P.O.Box 56193, 3305 Lemesos, Cyprus
Telephone+ + 357 25848100
Fax + 357 25848200
Email maritime.security@dms.mcw.gov.cy

E-mail messages should not be addressed to any of the personal email addresses of the Department of Merchant Shipping personnel unless it is requested by an officer of the Department of Merchant Shipping for a particular message to be sent to his / her personal e-mail address.

The standardised form (ISPS C-1), consisting of two pages, for communicating the name and contact details of the Company Security Officer (CSO), the alternate CSO, the nomination of the RSO and any changes relating thereto, must be forwarded to the Department of Merchant Shipping as per our requirements set out in our circular 14/2003 par.10.6.and par.15.

In order to facilitate the whole procedure of transmission of a ship- to- shore security alert, we have established the following e-mail address: SSAS@dms.mcw.gov.cy

The Ship Security Alert System, when activated, must transmit a ship to shore security alert to the ship management company as well as to the Department of Merchant Shipping, to the above email address.

In view of the above, the SSAS of all existing and new Cyprus flag ships must be programmed with the correct contact point not later than 31st March 2007.

The previous contact point (as per Circular 36/2004) and the more recent one (as per Circular 34/2005) will continue to operate in parallel until the 31st of March 2007, when only the above e-mail will remain in operation.

Upon receiving a “real” ship Security Alert from a ship (not a test or an accidentally initiated alert), the Company Security Officer or his alternate CSO must notify the Officer on Duty in the Department of Merchant Shipping by telephone immediately, using the telephone number + 357 99 377 988 which is available at all times, who will take appropriate action,

I wish to draw your attention to the fact that the above phone number is designated as per Regulation XI/13.3 of SOLAS 74,as amended and it should be used exclusively for maritime security (real security alerts) purposes.

Ship Security Alerts may be transmitted to the Department of Merchant Shipping for test purposes only, during the commissioning phase of the SSAS on board the ship and the test report must include clear indications that it is a test.

If the above arrangement is not possible, then a pre notification message must be sent to the Department of Merchant Shipping to the email address maritime.security@dms.mcw.gov.cy

The pre notification message should be sent during normal working hours of the Department of Merchant Shipping (Monday to Friday 07:30-14:30 and Thursdays 07:30-18:00 excluding July and August). We expect that all necessary precautions will be taken to avoid accidental activation of SSAS.

When a ship is to be deleted from the Register of Cyprus Ships, the owners / managers / authorized representatives must communicate in writing the name of the new flag administration in order to speed up the issuance of the closed CSR (which includes the deletion details from this Administration).

When a ship is deleted from the Register of Cyprus Ships, and the original CSR or CSRs issued by this Administration to the ship are not on board the ship, all missing CSRs will be re-issued provided that:

When a ship is deleted from the Register of Cyprus Ships, and the new administration of the ship has not received the certified copies of the CSR (within the specified three month period) then, new certified copies may be re-issued provided that a written request has been submitted to the Maritime Security Section of the DMS by the new administration, providing full details of the address where it should be delivered.

According to Resolution A 959(23) and Resolution MSC 198(80) of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), whenever any change relating to the entries listed in the CSR documents issued for a Ship under Cyprus Flag has taken place, the master /company must complete forms ISPS C-2 and ISPS C-3 respectively. These forms must be available on board at all times until the amended CSR (original and not copy) has been received by the master.

The IMO requirements governing SSAS are stipulated in SOLAS Chapter XI-2/Reg. 6; IMO Res. MSC.147(77) and MSC/Circ.1072. Currently, the types and models of SSAS accepted by the Department of Merchant Shipping are as:

Any equipment not mentioned above (which have yet to be accepted by the Department of Merchant Shipping) may be included in the approved list of SSAS, provided that:

1. A request for approval (including description of equipment) has been submitted to the Department of Merchant Shipping – Maritime Security Section.

2. Equipment complies with relevant IMO requirements and,

3. Equipment is furnished with approval certificates by Competent Authorities and / or Recognised Organisations (RSO´s). These to be submitted with the request for approval.

10 Changes to Ship Security plans (ISPS Code, Part A, 9.5)

Changes to ship security plans must be applied only after these have been approved by the Recognised Organisation (RSO) that has approved the Ship Security Plan (SSP) and has issued the ship´s International Ship Security Certificate (ISSC).

• The following are considered significant cases necessitating changes to the ship security plans, which must be submitted for approval:
• When a ship has undergone a major conversion as defined by SOLAS 74 as amended.
• When any or all of the restricted areas have been changed.
• When new surveillance equipment and related equipment is installed on board for monitoring the security of the ship and these have not been included in the approved SSP.
• When procedures related to the SSP and actions taken when the ship is on security level 1, 2 and 3 are modified.
• Trading of the ship in areas that have not been covered by the ship security assessment.

All ships must comply with this instruction immediately.

11 Language of the Ship Security Plans (ISPS Code, Part A, 9.4)

It is the responsibility of the Management Company to designate the language as follows:

“ the Company should designate a command language and a working language for communications between shipboard personnel and shore based management. To this end if the command and the working languages are other than English, then the SSP´s should also be written in English.

All SSP´s must comply with this instruction the latest by 31 March 2007.

12 Interface with ships or ports that are not subject to the Requirement of Regulation (EC) 725/2004, Art 3.8

In every SSP, provisions should be made to ensure that security is not compromised by any ship to port or ship to ship activity, with a port or a ship which are not subject to the provisions of the ISPS Code and Art. 3.8 of Regulation (EC) 725/2004.

All ships must comply with this instruction immediately.

13 Conducting Ship Security Exercises (ISPS Code, Part B, 13.7)

When exercises are conducted - at least once in every calendar year with no more than eighteen (18) months between exercises - the Department of Merchant Shipping must be notified in writing by the Company Security Officer, one (1) week in advance, during normal working hours as per Circular 6/2006. The exercise scenario must be communicated to the Department of Merchant Shipping – Maritime Security Section.

The Company should ensure that, for its entire fleet, at least once every year, a ship to shore exercise is carried out involving one (1) ship (or more ships if so wished). Each year, a different ship (if one ship is chosen to conduct the exercise every year) must be selected when conducting the exercises.

The involvement of the Department of Merchant Shipping will be limited to the testing of efficient communication with the CSO and the successful transmission of a SSAS alert (if this is included in the exercise scenario).

Finally, the CSO should submit a brief evaluation report regarding the conduct of the exercise.

All ships must comply with this instruction immediately.