Whole of Government Approach to Maritime Security

The Whole of Government Approach to Maritime Security is an innovative programme of integrated workshops and tailored support to develop a National Maritime Security Committee (NMSC) structure, National Maritime Security Risk Register (NMSRR) and National Maritime Security Strategy (NMSS), which together help improve national maritime security decision making and governance. A cross-government committee draws together all key stakeholders and the Risk Register provides a powerful tool to aid the committee to objectively identify security gaps and prioritize where to steer future policy development and capacity building effort. The NMSS explains how the Member State will address the risks identified in the Risk Register, and its long-term vision for the security of the maritime domain, with its development overseen by the Committee.

The Whole of Government Approach to Maritime Security provides the following benefits:
 

• Recognizes that sustainable and long-term improvements to maritime security are only possible once an effective national maritime security decision making and governance process has been established;
  

• Establishes a cross-government structure of senior officials drawn from all Government Departments and Agencies to address the numerous maritime security risks faced by Member States in the modern maritime environment;
  

• Fully involves industry in national maritime security decision making through the development of a specialist sub committee on ship and port security, providing the benefit of industry expertise to government and ensuring a balanced approach between the security and facilitation of maritime transport; 
  

• Delivers a comprehensive National Maritime Security Risk Register which lists all maritime security risks based on threat, impact, mitigation and vulnerability criteria and which prioritizes the highest risks utilizing limited resources to maximum effect;
  

• Enables Member States to clearly identify their capability gaps based on a risk-based approach to maritime security, and to clearly articulate their capacity development needs to international partners and potential donors and to maximize the benefits of this assistance; and
  

• Sets out a clear national vision with strategic objectives and lines of effort which explain how the Member State will deliver the security of its maritime domain for the long-term growth of its blue economy and for the benefit of all maritime users.