The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code) was adopted by a Conference of Contracting Governments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, convened in London from 9 to 13 December 2002. The Code aims, among other things, to establish an international framework for co-operation between Contracting Governments, Government agencies, local administrations and the shipping and port industries to detect security threats and take preventive measures against security incidents affecting ships or port facilities used in international trade and to establish relevant roles and responsibilities at the national and international level. These objectives are to be achieved by the designation of appropriate personnel on each ship, in each port facility and in each ship owning company to make assessments and to put into effect the security plans that will be approved for each ship and port facility. The Conference also adopted several related resolutions and amendments to chapters V and XI (now divided into chapters XI-1 and XI-2) of the 1974 SOLAS Convention, as amended. Under the new chapter XI-2, which provides the umbrella regulations, the ISPS Code will become mandatory on 1 July 2004. The Code is divided into two parts. Part A presents mandatory requirements, part B recommendatory guidance regarding the provisions of chapter XI-2 of the Convention and part A of the Code. This publication includes the ISPS Code, relevant amendments to t