IMO assists Comoros to assess and secure its ports

Officials from the Comoros Maritime Affairs Agency (Agence Nationale des Affaires Maritimes - ANAM), the Port Authority (Société Comorienne des Ports – SCP) and IMO completed on-site surveys of the port, which serves as a hub for transhipment of essential goods such as rice and fuel to other islands in the country.   

The aim was to assess whether the port and port facility (the area where cargoes and people are transferred between the ship and port) comply with global standards set out in the International Ship Port and Security (ISPS Code). 

During the exercise, local Port Facility Security Officers (PFSOs) analyzed operations such as embarkment and disembarkation of international passengers, and cargo handling from the ship to dock, looking for weaknesses in policies and procedures, infrastructure and human factors. 

They identified gaps that could pose a risk to persons, property or operations within the port facility and discussed how to address them. This included physical security, structural integrity, personnel protection systems, procedural policies, telecommunications systems, relevant infrastructure, utilities, and other areas. 

Discussions with the various State services working at the port, including the Port Authority, Police Nationale, Gendarmerie Nationale, Coast Guards, Customs examined threats and explored ways to strengthen the security of Comoro’s ports and port facilities.  

The outcome of the assessments will contribute to preparing port facility security plans for Mutsamudu Port, to help safeguard operations and support. 

The assessments were carried out as part of the EU-funded Port Security Project, which promotes port security and safety in Eastern and Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean.