Managing contemporary maritime security challenges
With one of the largest maritime domains in the world, Australia faces a range of maritime security threats. The Border Protection Command’s Director of Strategic Plans, Colonel Marcus Fielding, discusses the Government’s arrangements to protect national interests.
Australia’s maritime domain is defined as all things relevant to the national interest on, under, associated with, or adjacent to the country’s maritime zones, in which certain legal or administrative arrangements apply. Security threats occurring in Australia’s maritime domain may have detrimental flow-on effects to the Australian mainland.
The Australian Government has identified eight potential security threats in the maritime domain: illegal activity in protected areas; illegal exploitation of natural resources; marine pollution; prohibited imports and exports; unauthorised maritime arrivals; compromise to bio-security; piracy, robbery or violence at sea; and maritime terrorism.
Threats to security may arise from outside Australia’s maritime domain as geopolitical, environmental and resource issues in Australia’s region are the catalysts behind many security threats.
Consequently, management of the threats to Australia’s security at times requires consideration of areas beyond Australia’s maritime domain.
Maritime Security Arrangements
The Australian Government supports a collaborative and cooperative international approach to addressing maritime security issues, while within Australia, it recognises the need for a whole-of-government approach to managing maritime security threats.
To this end, it has established a multi-agency maritime security policy body, a maritime transport security regulation body and a multi-agency maritime security response organisation.
These arrangements were made largely in response to increasing levels of threat by illegal fishing, illegal immigration and the threat of terrorism in the first half of this decade.
Maritime Security Policy
In 2005 the Australian Government established a Strategic Maritime Management Committee (SMMC) to provide high-level, whole-of-government policy and strategic direction with regard to Australia’s maritime security.
The SMMC advises the Australian Government’s National Security Committee of Cabinet (NSCC) on the appropriate response to maritime security threats.
Working with SMMC is another multi-agency forum, the Joint Agencies Maritime Advisory Group (JAMAG).
JAMAG is in turn informed by six multi-agency thematic working groups:
• the Threat and Risk Assessment Working Group (TARAWG);
• the Planning Advisory Working Group (PAWG);
• the Operational Response Working Group (ORWG);
• the Information Sharing Working Group (ISWG);
• the Maritime Legislation Working Group (MLWG); and
• the Public Information and Awareness Working Group (PIAWG).
These multi-agency forums consider maritime security issues from multiple perspectives, develop a common perception of threat and risk, determine viable courses of action, and implement changes to policy and operations.
This helps to create a better and more cohesive Government response and mitigates the risks posed by security threats in Australia’s maritime domain.
Maritime Security Regulation
To accord with the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code introduced in 2004, and to help safeguard Australia’s maritime transport system and offshore facilities from terrorism, the Australian Government has implemented a maritime transport security regulatory regime.
Under this regime, specified ports, port facilities, offshore facilities and ships are designated as being ‘security regulated’.
All security-regulated entities are required to undertake risk assessments, and implement security plans to address identified security risks.
Additionally, a security identification card was introduced for maritime workers.
The Maritime Security Identification Card (MSIC) is a nationally uniform identification card which shows that the holder has met the minimum security requirements to remain unmonitored within a maritime security zone.
Before a MSIC can be issued, applicants must undergo background checking conducted through the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.
This security regime is legislated under the Maritime Transport and Offshore Facilities Security Act 2003 (originally the Maritime Transport Security Act 2003) and administered by the Office of Transport Security in the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.
Maritime Security Response
Established in 2005, Border Protection Command (BPC) is the Australian Government’s lead organisation for security response in Australia’s maritime domain.
Originally known as the Joint Offshore Protection Command, BPC is an Australian Government multi-agency organisation staffed by officers of the Australian Customs Service (Customs), Department of Defence (Defence), Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS).
The illegal fishing and people-smuggling threats that Australia faced between 2000 and 2005 provided a catalyst to creating BPC.
In concert with other government agencies and stakeholders, BPC protects Australia’s national interests by generating awareness of activity in Australia’s maritime domain and responding to mitigate, or eliminate, the risks posed by security threats.
BPC enforces a range of legislation in Australia’s maritime zones including the territorial sea, the contiguous zone, the Exclusive Economic Zone and the continental shelf, as well as within protected areas and protected zones.
Customs officers, Australian Defence Force (ADF) members, AFMA and AQIS officers working with BPC enforce a broad range of legislation.
For example, Customs officers are authorised officers under the Customs Act 1901, and as such, can enforce provisions of the Customs Act along with applicable provisions of legislation prescribed under the Customs Act.
ADF members are authorised officers under certain provisions of the Customs Act 1901, the Migration Act 1958, the Fisheries Management Act 1991 and the Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984. AFMA fisheries officers are authorised officers under the Fisheries Management Act 1991 and the Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984.
In support of arrangements coordinated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), BPC is also Australia’s Security Forces Authority (SFA) for the purposes of responding to acts of violence against ships within the Australian Search and Rescue Region (SRR).
BPC achieves its mission by conducting activities in three mutually supporting functional areas - awareness, response and prevention.
These functional areas collectively create a deterrent effect on security threats.
BPC generates awareness of activities in Australia’s maritime domain with the object of identifying security threats, assessing their likelihood of occurring and estimating their potential consequences.
Resources and capabilities currently available to BPC to generate awareness and identify security threats in Australia’s maritime domain include:
• national and international open source information;
• national and international intelligence;
• commercial satellite imagery;
• 13 Customs contracted fixed and rotary wing aircraft (Coastwatch);
• 1 Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) AP-3C aircraft;
• RAAF 41 Wing Air Space Surveillance support;
• Army Regional Force Surveillance Unit patrols; and
• reports from industry and the general public.
BPC responds to security threats as they are identified in Australia’s maritime domain.
In most cases, the response is at the request of other Australian Government agencies responsible for detaining and prosecuting individuals suspected of having conducted illegal activity.
BPC is the Australian Government’s lead organisation for responding to maritime terrorism incidents in Australia’s maritime dommain.
Capabilities currently available to BPC to respond to security threats in Australia’s maritime domain include:
• 8 Customs patrol vessels (Bay Class Vessels);
• 1 Customs contracted southern ocean patrol vessel (Oceanic Viking);
• 1 Customs contracted northern patrol vessel (ACV Triton);
• 7 Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Armidale Class Patrol Boats;
• 1 RAN Major Fleet Unit;
• 1 RAN Landing Craft Heavy; and
• 1 RAN general-purpose patrol vessel (Mine Hunter Coastal).
In cooperation with other Australian Government agencies, BPC also liaises with a range of foreign government operational maritime security agencies to cooperate and strengthen maritime security in the region – particularly those with which Australia shares an Exclusive Economic Zone boundary.
Where appropriate this extends to knowledge exchange for countries developing and improving their border protection and maritime security operations.
The Australian Government also invests considerable resources and effort to preventing or disrupting security threats before they emerge.
Activities may include communicating to potential foreign fishers and illegal immigrants the consequences of breaking Australian law, encouraging alternative livelihoods, or working in cooperation with foreign governments and their agencies.
Establishing an integrated multi-agency operational response organisation has been a success story for the Australian Government.
BPC can demonstrate significant success in reducing the risk posed by illegal fishing and people smuggling security threats in particular.
About the author: Colonel Marcus Fielding is a career Army officer and is presently Director of Strategic Plans at the Border Protection Command.