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Enhancing the Security of Canada's Marine Transportation System

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Domestic Marine Security: Enhancing the Security of Canada's Marine Transportation System

CANADA’S MARINE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

This document was produced by the Interdepartmental Marine Security Work Group.

Introduction

Canada has one of the safest and most secure transportation systems in the world. The marine sector is a critical component of this system, supporting a vital trade gateway that connects Canada to the world.

Canada’s marine system includes some 200,000 kilometres of coastline, extends 200 nautical miles out from the coastline, and stretches 3,700 kilometres into the heart of the continent via the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway system.

In 2000, the value of Canadian international marine trade was approximately $100 billion out of total trade of $740 billion. Canada’s marine sector directly employs over 30,000 people and generates average annual revenues of $2.6 billion.

Our coast is dotted with over 250 ports, which handle some 3.5 million containers annually. Through these intermodal hubs, imports enter Canada to be dispersed across North America and exports begin their transoceanic voyage to foreign markets.

Approximately 4000 foreign vessels over 500 tonnes visit Canadian ports annually and there are approximately 100 Canadian-registered vessels over 500 tonnes that make international voyages.

Canada’s ports also handle a rapidly growing number of cruise ships. Over 1.5 million cruise ship passengers arrive in Canada annually, largely from the U.S. Besides the ports, Canada has 10 international ferry terminals, 19 interprovincial terminals and nearly 300 intraprovincial terminals providing vital links both within and between the provinces. In 2001, Canada’s ferries carried an estimated 40 million passengers and 17 million vehicles

Enhancing Marine Security

Efforts to enhance marine security must be balanced with the need to maintain the free flow of trade and people, which in turn maintains the competitiveness of Canada’s marine sector and our economic vitality.

Enhancing security has many benefits, especially in combating organized crime, enhancing search and rescue capabilities, conserving our fisheries and combating marine pollution.

Perhaps most importantly, it also improves the ability to prevent terrorists or terrorist devices from entering Canada or accessing our marine transportation system.

Immediately following the tragic events of September 11, the Government of Canada moved quickly to enhance the security of Canada’s transportation system. For the marine sector, these actions included:

requiring trans-oceanic traffic to give 96 hours advance notice before entering Canadian waters, rather than the usual 24 hours
signing an agreement with the U.S. on the pre-screening of ships before they arrive in the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Seaway system
refining armed boarding protocols to accelerate threat response time
working with the U.S. to improve the screening of shipping containers by operating joint customs teams at major ports
enhancing the security of the cruise ship industry, including increased police presence at key ports during the cruise season
conducting ongoing marine security threat and risk assessments and initiating a comprehensive vulnerability assessment of critical marine infrastructure

The Government of Canada also put forward five priorities to guide the federal response to enhancing our public security and anti-terrorism capabilities:

keeping terrorists out of Canada
deterring, preventing, detecting, prosecuting and/or removing terrorists
facilitating Canada-U.S. relations
facilitating international initiatives
protecting our infrastructure and improving emergency planning

Building on these priorities, the Government of Canada signed the Smart Border Declaration with the U.S. on December 12, 2001. The purpose of this declaration was to enhance collaboration between Canada and the U.S. in identifying and addressing security risks while maintaining the flow of people and goods across the border.

To begin addressing these priorities, the Government of Canada committed $7.7 billion to fight terrorism and reinforce public security. Included in this amount was $60 million over six years for marine security initiatives in the December 2001 Budget.

The Government of Canada’s response to the modern security environment has been prompt and effective and will contribute to maintaining the confidence not only of Canadians, but also of the U.S. and our other major trading partners in our marine transport system.

CANADA’S APPROACH TO MARINE SECURITY

Canada has one of the safest and most secure transportation systems in the world. However, certain aspects of the marine transportation system need to be further enhanced in order to ensure that this system continues to function effectively.

In order to assess the security of Canada’s marine transportation system, the Interdepartmental Marine Security Working Group (see Appendix A) first identified Canada’s marine security zones, and key activity areas.

Security Zones

The marine security environment can be conceived as a series of zones (see Fig. 1) around Canada.

Foreign: territory and territorial waters of other states and their marine infrastructure
International Waters: marine areas outside of the control of sovereign states
Canadian Waters: marine areas and infrastructure within Canada’s Exclusive Economic Zone
Coastal/Landside: immediate coastal areas, the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence Seaway and marine infrastructure within our territorial sea as well as their landside infrastructure

Fig. 1

Activities and Objectives

Within these security zones, marine security activities can be grouped into four categories, with the objectives of each varying according to the security zone in which it takes place:

Domain awareness
Responsiveness
Safeguarding
Collaboration

Domain Awareness

This activity area includes Canada’s surveillance and awareness efforts within the marine zones, as well as liaison and coordination with Canadian and international intelligence gathering bodies.

Within this activity area, security efforts are guided by the principle that the greater the vulnerability the more detailed the Government of Canada’s information requirements. The key objectives include developing a comprehensive knowledge of people, containers, goods, and vessels from foreign points of origin to Canadian points of destination and timely information collection and sharing among key departments through secure means.

Responsiveness

Included in this area are enforcement efforts conducted in cooperation with police forces and security agencies to intercept and apprehend would-be terrorists and their devices.

Responsiveness activities are guided by the principle that action must be taken at the earliest possible opportunity and preferably at a distance from Canada and Canadians. Key objectives include the ability to interdict, apprehend and contain high-risk people, containers, goods and vessels at the earliest opportunity and respond to incidents in a timely manner.

Safeguarding

The safeguarding activity area includes efforts to enhance the physical security of marine infrastructure or other critical infrastructure in or around marine areas. It also includes efforts to enhance personnel screening to prevent potential terrorists or terrorist devices from gaining entry into Canada or accessing our marine transportation system.

The key principle guiding safeguarding activities is that the marine system is only as strong as its weakest link. Key objectives are ensuring the integrity of critical physical and technological infrastructures and preventing infiltration of high-risk people and objects into the marine system.

Collaboration

Collaboration is key to the effectiveness of domain awareness, responsiveness and safeguarding activities. This activity area supports the other three by aiming to ensure that the departments, agencies and other organizations with a responsibility for marine security and anti-terrorism — including U.S. and international counterparts — should share information effectively and securely, assess risk and have a coordinated response subject to applicable laws.

Collaboration is guided by the principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Its key objectives are creating the greatest possible awareness among federal departments and agencies with marine anti-terrorism mandates and achieving high quality and timely decision-making within and among participating departments and agencies.

Assessing Risk

After identifying Canada’s marine security zones, and defining key activity areas, a systematic high-level analysis was undertaken by the Interdepartmental Marine Security Working Group (IMSWG) to assess potential threats to the marine system, as well as areas where vulnerabilities exist. This risk assessment included considerations such as:

Where do potential threats exist?
What security measures are already in place?
Where do security gaps or vulnerabilities exist?
What are the consequences if security gaps are exploited?
What initiatives are practical, given that there are limitations on resources?

The chart below describes the areas identified for improvement by the IMSWG.

Security Zone	Activity Area
	Domain Awareness	Responsiveness	Safeguarding	Collaboration
Foreign	X		X	X
International waters	X			X
Canadian waters	X	X		X
Coastal/Landside	X	X	X	X

The results of the risk assessment were then used to determine a set of broad program initiatives directed at reducing the vulnerabilities identified. Building on this, an order of priority was established, aimed at achieving a balanced reduction of risk levels across all security zones.

These priorities were used to decide on the allocation of available resources, which were directed to those areas where it was assessed they would have the greatest impact on the effectiveness of Canada’s marine security system.

The analysis showed that improving collaboration among federal departments is a priority because marine security is an interdepartmental, inter-jurisdictional and international effort. Improving collaboration will contribute to improvement in other activity areas. Domain awareness is of similar priority due to the need to increase the probability of identifying threats as soon as possible, thereby granting more time to develop further intelligence, target effective responses, and prepare landside resources for potential incidents. Safeguarding and responsiveness follow as priority areas, as Canada has in place significant response capacity and greater efforts are needed to prevent terrorist incidents from occurring.

Establishing priorities is also shaped by other considerations such as the impact on public confidence, economic factors, international relations, level of government control and benefits other than those related to security.

NEW MARINE SECURITY INITIATIVES

On January 22, 2003, Transport Minister David Collenette, on behalf of the Government of Canada, announced funding of up to $172.5 million over five years for a package of initiatives designed to further enhance the security of Canada’s marine transportation system and marine borders.

The Government of Canada is focusing its marine security enhancement efforts on 13 major initiatives, based on the areas for improvement identified following the Interdepartmental Marine Security Working Group’s risk assessment:

Domain Awareness

(Foreign, International Waters, Canadian Waters, Coastal/Landside)

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans will receive a five-year continuance of the $2 million annually provided in 2002-03 for increased maritime surveillance flights. This new funding will ensure that the existing enhanced national marine air surveillance capacity can continue, as well as increase the size of the patrol area, allow for additional overage of commercial vessel traffic and enhance the marine intelligence available to the Canadian security community.

The passenger and crew screening initiative will enhance Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC) ability to screen, target and examine vessels, crew and passengers in order to interdict terrorists and illegal migrants. The capacity for marine interdiction will be expanded through the addition of marine intelligence and enforcement teams in British Columbia, Quebec and in the Atlantic provinces. Over the next five years, $14.4 million will be provided to CIC for this initiative.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans anticipates funding of up to $27,500,000 over 5-years for an Automatic Identification System (AIS) and Long Range Vessel Identification and Tracking project, beginning in 2004. Transport Canada will be requiring that vessels be equipped with AIS, in line with new international requirements adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The Canadian Coast Guard will build and operate the shore-based component of AIS and develop a capability for long-range vessel identification and tracking, which will significantly enhance awareness of vessels approaching and operating in Canadian waters.

Also expected in 2004, the Department of National Defence anticipates funding of up to $43,100,000 over 5-years for a High Frequency Surface Wave Radar (HFSWR) project. HFSWR systems follow the curvature of the oceans’ surface, as opposed to emitting waves in a straight line, thus significantly increasing the range over which these radar systems can operate.

Responsiveness

(Canadian Waters, Coastal/Landside)

The Department of the Solicitor General will receive $1 million over the next five years to increase counter-terrorism training by conducting one major command post or field exercise every two years. This initiative will help to improve inter-agency coordination and cooperation for responding to marine terrorist threats, as well as assist the department to fulfill its mandate under the National Counter-Terrorism Plan.

The intent of the National Ports Project is to disrupt and eliminate the capacity of organized crime to control ports and their ability to work with or support terrorist activity. In support of this program, the RCMP will receive $6.8 million over five years to establish a pilot project at the Port of Montreal, which will help to address the potential threat to national security posed by organized crime to national security. Establishing a full-time presence at the Port of Montreal will help to enhance existing links with other law enforcement authorities, port authorities and marine security implementation partners.

Additional resources will also enable the RCMP to increase Emergency Response Team (ERT) training in support of marine security and protecting trade along Canada’s coastline. To this end, the RCMP will receive $2.8 million in funding to cover the cost of four armed ship boarding training sessions a year. Improving RCMP capacity to board ships in Canadian waters will help to ensure the interception of both vessels and persons who pose a threat to security.

Safeguarding

(Foreign, Coastal/Landside)

Transport Canada will receive $3.2 million over three years for an initiative to expand the Canadian marine security regulatory framework in order to meet Canada’s international obligations — namely, the SOLAS convention and International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code — and to make improvements to the existing framework. This program will help to ensure compliance with international requirements, protect key trade relationships and maintain the confidence of Canada’s trading partners.

Transport Canada will also receive up to $14.5 million for the Marine Security Oversight and Enforcement Program, intended to monitor and enforce compliance with amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), including the mandatory portion of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. The program will enforce minimum standards for security on-board ships and at marine facilities, and thereby enhance the security of Canadians and the economy, and ensure that Canada is able to meet its international obligations under the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

The Marine Facilities Restricted Area Access Clearance Program (MFRAACP) will protect the safety of persons at ports as well as prevent unlawful acts of interference with marine transportation by limiting access to restricted areas at marine facilities to those who have been granted clearance.

The MFRAACP will be modelled on Canada’s successful Airport Restricted Area Access Clearance Program, which began in 1985.

Under this program, Transport Canada will receive a total of $11.8 million over five years for regulatory development, purchasing and installing new equipment, training personnel, reviewing and processing clearances and participating in the appeal process. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) will receive $7.07 million over five years to conduct site access clearance for marine facility employees wishing to access restricted areas. The RCMP will also receive just over $1.9 million over five years for conducting background checks.

Nearly $2.7 million will be provided to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and CSIS for an initiative to impose temporary resident visa requirements on all seafarers travelling to or through Canada, who are a citizen of a visa requiring country. Seafarers from visa exempt countries will be required to carry a passport in addition to their seafarer’s identity documents. CIC will receive $2.1 million for processing visa applications, and CSIS will receive $592,000 in support of the vetting process for visas.

The Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA) will receive $9.5 million over five years for the acquisition, installation and maintenance of equipment for the detection of illicit radioactive material being offloaded at Canadian ports. CCRA is examining various detection systems, including car-mounted detection systems, portal monitoring systems, gantry crane-mounted systems and hand-held survey meters.

Collaboration

(Foreign, International Waters, Canadian Waters, Coastal/Landside)

The Interdepartmental Marine Security Working Group (IMSWG), which was established in October 2001 by Transport Canada, continues to function as the centrepiece the coordination of Canada’s marine security activities. Transport Canada chairs the group, which now comprises some 17 federal departments and agencies.

The role of the IMSWG is to co-ordinate federal response to marine security, analyze our marine system for security gaps and develop possible mitigation initiatives to address these gaps.

Since its inception, the IMSWG has worked to identify aspects of Canada’s marine transportation system that require review, focus on the assessment of security risks and mitigation measures for the marine system and monitor security requirements related to the International Maritime Organization’s protocols.

The IMSWG also manages the Marine Security Coordination fund, which provides resources for one-time or limited-period projects enhancing collaboration and coordination of federal departments and agencies. The Fund currently has resources of $16.2 million, which will be allocated over five years. To date, four projects have been approved for funding under this initiative, including the initial phase of the Maritime Information Management and Data Exchange (MIMDEX) project.

CONCLUSION

Canada has an effective marine security system capable of adapting quickly to new demands. At the same time, the Government of Canada is continually looking for ways to improve public safety and national security.

Marine security involves a wide range of partners, including federal departments and agencies; industry, labour and public interest groups; shippers, shipping companies, port and facility operators, and the international community. Through close collaboration with these organizations, the Government of Canada is working to develop the best transportation system for Canada and Canadians.

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