Government is increasing security in ports and in the North Sea | Inland

With 50,000 passages per year, the North Sea is busier than ever, so the Maritime Security Act, which regulates safety at sea, was due for a revision. Minister of the North Sea Vincent Van Quickenborne (Open Vld) has been working on that update for some time and now has a draft bill ready, which already received the green light from the government on Friday. “We have to put safety and security first,” he says.

This has to do with the security of our ports. For example, the bill makes it possible to use biometric data, such as fingerprints, for access control there. Badges are currently being used, but they are susceptible to abuse. The text also provides that surveillance images must be kept. In addition, there will be a list of regulations that the closures of port facilities must comply with. Failure to comply will result in warnings, fines or even prison terms.

The second part creates a legal basis for denying ships access to Belgian ports. In principle, this is already happening for Russian ships, in the context of the sanctions that the European Union has imposed on Russia after the invasion of Ukraine. For the time being, however, this has to be done via a practical detour: by simply not providing a shed or mooring place. In the future, it will be possible with a formal decision.

Port authorities will also be able to take stricter action when there are indications of illegal practices. Ships that fail to comply with international security or traceability regulations could be banned from ports, requiring them to keep much more rigorous records, including which ports they visited or which sea routes they followed.

Finally, the legal text provides better protection for critical infrastructure in the North Sea, such as wind farms, cables and pipelines. The Maritime Information Crossroads must prepare a safety assessment to identify weak spots. Surveillance cameras at sea are also an option. Unlike on land, no pictograms can be placed for this purpose at sea. The bill therefore provides for a notice to seafarers and permission from the Minister of the North Sea.

The bill is currently being submitted to the Council of State for advice. The intention is to submit the text to parliament before the summer, with the law to enter into force in 2023.