Transport ministry issues new regulation for security of ships, ports

Muscat: Under Ministerial Resolution No. 423/2024, the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology has issued new regulations about the security of ships and ports. The new regulation seeks to achieve the highest levels of maritime safety.

Based on Maritime Law No. 19/2023 and approved international agreements, the new regulation sets a comprehensive framework to ensure the security and safety of maritime operations in the Sultanate of Oman.

Captain Majid Saif Al Barhi, Director General of Maritime Affairs at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, said, “The new regulation stems from efforts to draft plans for security transition in accordance with the Security Code for Ships and Ports.”

Al Barhi explained that the new regulation includes a set of measures and procedures that ensure compliance with international standards in ship and port security. He added that the regulation outlines specific procedures for enhancing security planning, notably by compelling ships and ports to draft and implement integrated security plans based on comprehensive risk assessment and advanced control procedures.

Al Barhi stressed that the desired plans should focus on the establishment of a comprehensive system for monitoring and inspecting ships and ports to ensure compliance with international security requirements.

For his part, Ayman Rashid Al Ma’amari, Director of the Maritime Legislation Department at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, said, “The new regulation aims to achieve comprehensive protection for individuals, marine facilities and goods from security risks, while at the same tim ensuring sustained efficiency of marine operations and supporting the efforts of the Sultanate of Oman in boosting the investment climate in the marine sector.”