New Bureau of Port Security to oversee ship and port safety, cyber threats included

New Delhi: The government will set up the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS) as a dedicated statutory authority to oversee and regulate security arrangements for ships and port facilities, officials said on Friday.

The decision was taken after Union Home Minister Amit Shah convened a high-level meeting to discuss the need for a specialised body focused on port and vessel security. The meeting was attended by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu.

Modelled on the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the BoPS will function under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. It will be headed by a Director General and will be responsible for regulatory oversight, security audits, and coordination related to the protection of ships and port infrastructure.

According to officials, a key mandate of the Bureau of Port Security will be the timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information, with particular emphasis on addressing emerging cyber threats affecting ports and maritime operations.

The BoPS will be headed by an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer at Pay Level-15. During the transition period of one year, the Director General of Shipping (DG Shipping/DGMA) will function as the Director General of the new bureau.

The move is aimed at creating a unified and specialised framework for port and vessel security, in line with growing concerns over physical and cyber risks to critical maritime infrastructure, as India expands its port capacity and global shipping footprint.
(With PTI inputs)