Security: Baltimore, Houston, Texas City

 

For the ninth consecutive year, the public marine terminals at the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore received a top rating of ‘excellent’ on a security assessment from the U.S. Coast Guard for 2017. The Coast Guard conducts annual and thorough examinations of the port’s six public marine terminals: Dundalk, Seagirt, North Locust Point, South Locust Point (including the cruise passenger terminal), Fairfield and Masonville.

 

Each year Coast Guard Sector Baltimore conducts a comprehensive inspection of the port’s public marine terminals to ensure they are within compliance of federal security regulations. The visual inspection includes a review of access control procedures and makes certain that physical security fixtures, such as high-mast lighting and fencing are up to federal security standards.

 

The Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Port Administration (MDOT MPA), which oversees the Port of Baltimore’s public marine terminals, has moved forward in recent years with many new security initiatives and enhancements including closed circuit television, cyber security and stronger access control technologies.

 

 

Port Houston is the recipient of the 2018 Rear Admiral Richard E. Bennis Award (Port Authority category). The U.S. Coast Guard (Coast Guard) this week announced the winners of this prestigious security award for organizations demonstrating excellence in maritime security through their programs and practices.

 

According to the Coast Guard, this biennial award recognizes outstanding achievements and contributions of leaders in the maritime community with regards to implementation of the Maritime Transportation Security Act requirements and other maritime security best practices in safeguarding the nation's vital marine transportation system.

 

The award distinguishes organizations demonstrating an exceptional comprehensive culture of security and encourages all regulated organizations to assess their overall security program to identify strengths and weaknesses, seek creative solutions for addressing known risks, build a system of continuous improvement, and share best practices that would benefit similar organizations, the Coast Guard detailed in its announcement.  

 

 

The Port of Texas City Security Council was recently awarded the 2018 Rear Admiral Richard E. Bennis Award (Small Company category) for excellence in maritime security by the U.S. Coast Guard.  The biennial Bennis award serves to highlight and recognize outstanding achievements and contributions of the maritime community with regards to implementation of Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA) requirements and other maritime security best practices in safeguarding our nation’s marine transportation system. 

 

According to Rear Admiral John Nadeau, the U.S. Coast Guard’s Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy, the Coast Guard received many applications for consideration this cycle and a panel of evaluators reviewed each award application. RDML Nadeau stated that the competition for the award this year exceeded the Coast Guard’s expectations and is a clear indication of the maritime industry's commitment to maritime security.

 

The Port of Texas City Security Council, Inc. was formed in 2008 by the companies that operate maritime-related facilities in or near the Port of Texas City.  The Council is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose membership consists of fifteen businesses that conduct operations in or near the Port of Texas City.  The principal purpose of the Security Council is to provide security services to its members, protect the surrounding community and conduct security-related outreach and education.  Member organizations of the Security Council include Amato Linehandlers, Best Bet Marine Services, BP Amoco Chemical Company, Buffalo Marine Service, Inc., The Dallas Group of America, Inc., Eastman Chemical Company, Enterprise Products Partners, Marathon Petroleum Company, Galveston Bay Refinery, NuStar Energy, Oiltanking, Oxbow Energy Solutions, LLC, Piling, Inc., the Port of Texas City, and Valero Energy.

 

The Bennis award serves as a tool to encourage all regulated organizations to assess their overall security program to identify strengths and weaknesses, seek creative solutions for addressing known risks, build a system of continuous improvement, and share best practices that would benefit similar organizations.  The categories in this year's award were Port Authority of the Year, Company of the Year (Large Business: 50 or more employees and Small Business: 49 or fewer employees), and Facility of the Year (Large Business: 50 or more employees and Small Business: 49 or fewer employees).  Organizations were evaluated in criteria such as partnerships, people, process, physical security and other security activities.