Manchester: Many a shipowner Maritime CEO has run into in the past few years has complained of the confusion when selecting a private maritime security company (PMSC). However, a new regulation promoted by BIMCO called ISO/PAS 28007 should sort the wheat from the chaff, something Andrew Varney, managing director of UK-based PMSC Port 2 Port Maritime applauds.
“In a shipping industry driven by standards and compliance, the private maritime security sector has rightly been taken to task on the quality, legality and efficiency of its product,” says Varney. “As newcomers to the supply chain, PMSCs started on shaky foundations, operating on the principle of ‘just enough and just in time’, with little regard for sharing exactly how they delivered their product.”
Nevertheless, ISO/PAS 28007 is set to change this perception of the sector, Varney maintains.
“If fully understood and embraced by the client community, ISO/PAS 28007 as a defined benchmark against which to assess the suitability of a PMSC will undoubtedly save time, money and effort whilst providing peace of mind.
“The shipping industry should be confident in the standard and integrity of the audit process, which for the first time allows owners and charterers to objectively compare PMSCs for accountability and transparency, with the assurance of knowing what they’re getting, which should serve to make the appointment and use of PMSCs less onerous,” Varney reckons.
Port2Port Maritime is the first PMSC to undertake and complete the pilot process. The company has offices overseas in Nigeria, Ghana, Greece and Korea. [07/10/13]
