| Home | Information Sharing & Analysis | Prevention & Protection | Preparedness & Response | Research | Commerce & Trade | Travel Security | Immigration |
The threat level in the airline sector is High or Orange. Read more.
Release Date: April 28, 2008
Traditional maritime security efforts have primarily focused on large commercial vessels, their cargoes, and crew. Efforts to address the small vessel environment have largely been limited to traditional safety and law enforcement concerns. Small vessels are, however, readily vulnerable to potential exploitation by terrorist, smugglers of weapons of mass destruction, narcotics, aliens, and other contraband, and other criminals. Small vessels have also been successfully employed overseas by terrorists to deliver Waterborne Improvised Explosive Devices.
As the U.S.S. Cole attack vividly demonstrated, there is a clear need to close security gaps and enhance the small vessel security environment. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Small Vessel Security Strategy (SVSS) addresses these concerns, providing a coherent framework to improve maritime security and safety. It envisions a coordinated effort of federal, state, local and tribal authorities, together with international partners, private industry, and the recreational users of the waterways.
The SVSS has been developed within the framework of other security strategies. It does not replace any current strategies or relevant documents. Rather, this strategy harmonizes related strategies into a multi-layered, unified approach for the component agencies within DHS, and lays the groundwork for DHS cooperation across the broad small vessel stakeholder base.
In November 2006, Secretary Chertoff directed that a dialogue be opened with the small vessel community. In response, a DHS National Small Vessel Security Summit was held in Arlington, Virginia in June 2007. Approximately 260 small vessel stakeholders representing government, private and public sectors attended the summit and provided numerous comments, insights and recommendations. The information collected during the summit was expanded through approximately 180 written surveys that were provided by the attendees after the summit. A report of the stakeholders’ input and the proceedings of the summit was published by DHS and released by the Secretary in January 2008. The report, as well as additional information on small vessel security, is available on the DHS web site.
The most consistent recommendation from the summit was that DHS develop a strategy for the reduction of threats from small vessels within the maritime domain.
The overarching vision of the SVSS is founded upon the recommendations contained in the national summit report. It can be summarized as ensuring a secure maritime environment where small vessel operators are able to safely earn a living, travel, and recreate freely, without unduly burdensome government regulation and with the freedom to sail upon the navigable waters of the U.S. The strategy, in fulfilling this vision, must balance between the freedoms, security and economy of small vessel operations and expand education and outreach for safety, security and trust-building.
The DHS working group used the recommendations from stakeholders to develop the strategy around the Government Accountability Office framework for risk management. To reduce potential small vessel security risks, the strategy looks toward implementing a coherent system of regimes, awareness and security operations. The existing Maritime Domain Awareness program provides guiding principles to strike the proper balance between fundamental freedoms, adequate security and continued economic stability. Additionally, the SVSS directs the component agencies of DHS to partner with the small vessel community in examining, educating, coordinating and communicating risks, threats, and corrective measures to reduce risks in the inland and coastal waters of the U.S.
With the SVSS, the Secretary has established four overarching goals. These goals focus the DHS component agencies toward education, communication and coordination. They are:
The first goal is directed specifically at efforts to focus DHS component agencies on building partnerships and trust with the recreational boaters and professional mariners who make up the small vessel community. The vast majority of professional and recreational operators are law-abiding citizens and safe users of the waterways. It is imperative that DHS enlist their aid as part of the solution to identify threats and report suspicious activities within the waters of the U.S.
The second goal focuses on screening small vessels according to the realistic risk they pose to the surrounding operating environment using all available information. Appropriate risk-targeting systems need to be developed that fuse risk data with risk-based decision-making systems. This will allow the separation of high risk vessel operations from the everyday small vessel landscape and employ limited enforcement resources effectively to directly reduce those known risks.
The third goal seeks to find or develop technologies to survey the entire maritime domain and clearly set a layered defense. Small vessel tracking is not required by this strategy; what is expected is that research and development will be needed to find the right technologies to increase surveillance and risk-based decision making, with an emphasis on cost/benefit models to ensure an appropriate balance.
The last goal of the SVSS aims to coordinate through all levels of government, as well as the private and public sectors at the national and international level, to focus communications and harmonize actions against high risk activities by small vessels.
With the release of the SVSS, the Secretary has directed the DHS component agency working group to develop an SVSS implementation plan. The plan will incorporate the existing work of DHS component agencies, identify needed research, development and testing, and recommend actions for future efforts and put the strategy into action this year.
Public release of the small vessel security implementation plan is unlikely, as some of the document may include sensitive information requiring classification. However, DHS expects to release a communication package of the implementation plan solutions to ensure maximum education, communication and coordination can continue between the small vessel stakeholders, private industry and involved government departments at all levels.
Through the SVSS, and its implementation, DHS has established a clear path toward reducing the risk of terrorist use of small vessels through cooperation, partnership, effective operations, and technology while simultaneously protecting our citizen’s use of the maritime domain.
1 The report, as well as additional information on small vessel security, is available on the DHS web site, www.dhs.gov/xprevprot/programs/gc_1199394950818.shtm
1 Small vessels are characterized as any watercraft regardless of method of propulsion, less than 300 gross tons. Small vessels can include commercial fishing vessels, recreational boats and yachts, towing vessels, uninspected passenger vessels, or any commercial vessels involved in foreign or U.S. voyages.
2 USCG 2006 recreational boater statistics compiled from the state boater registration reports (does not include unregistered watercraft, which are combined with registered boats), is estimated at 17 million total U.S. watercraft.
###
This page was last reviewed/modified on April 28, 2008.