Twenty-three female candidates from developing countries and Small Island Developing States attended a Maritime and Port Security course (25 June - 8 July) at the Galilee International Management Institute in Nahalal, Israel. IMO, together with the Belgian Government, supported the course which was in line with this year's World Maritime Day theme on "Empowering Women in the Maritime Community" and the 2019 Day of the Seafarer campaign "I Am On Board with gender equality".
The course addressed the various strategic, legal, logistical and technological aspects of maritime security, including the implementation of port facility security assessments, and the development of port security plans and procedures. The training focused on key instruments including the IMO maritime security measures in SOLAS Chapter XI-2 and the ISPS Code, and the ILO/IMO Code of practice on security in ports.
Participants also had a chance to visit the ports of Ashdod and Haifa, as well as Israel's northern sea border, in order to observe the local security set up and implementation of maritime security measures.
Participants included Port Security Officers, Ports Managers, and women employed by government bodies, representing some 14 countries*.
*Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Fiji, Kenya, Kiribati, Liberia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of the Congo, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Solomon Islands, South Africa, and Suriname