Maritime security efforts are based on global standards established primarily by the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code for the vessels and ports of the maritime transportation system, and by the SAFE Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade for the maritime supply chain. These standards are implemented at the national level. In the United States, the Coast Guard has principal responsibility for vessel and port security, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has the lead role in securing the supply chain. Timely and accurate information is key to the effective operation of all maritime security programs, with the Coast Guard’s maritime domain awareness activities the major source of such data in the United States.
Post-9/11 programs have improved maritime security through increased acceptance of the international standards, enhanced and more widely disseminated information on maritime threats, and heightened security awareness among all elements of the maritime sector.