In its latest report, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has identified nearly $4 billion in crucial port and supply chain security needs over the next 10 years.
According to the organization, high levels of funding are needed to maintain and upgrade port facilities in the US, ensuring that they are capable of addressing and managing new security challenges.
By refocusing the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s “Port Security Grant Program” (PSGP), the AAPA believes that US companies will be able to better meet the security infrastructure needs of commercial seaports and related maritime operations.
Chad Mercer discusses US ports and cybersecurity in a recent Port Technology technical paper
The renewed investment programme suggested by the AAPA includes an estimated US$2.62 billion in upgrades to port security equipment and systems, as well as $1.27 billion to help ports tackle cybersecurity, active shooter, drone mitigation, and other security threats.
Since the PGSP was first launched, following the 9/11 attacks, the US population has increased by 15%, with communities growing in metropolitan areas and around port authority facilities, emphasizing the need for new security measures.
“Not only did we find that Port Security Grant Program appropriations need to increase four-fold to $400 million a year, but the ratio of grant funds going to ports needs to at least double to 50% to properly mitigate for security threats.” #StateOfFreight https://t.co/LeD6WPn4Lx
— AAPA (@AAPA_Seaports) January 28, 2019
Kurt Nagle, AAPA President and CEO, said: “In ‘The State of Freight IV’, we took a deep-dive to better understand the future security challenges of US ports, the communities that surround them and the supply chains that serve them.
“Not only did we find that Port Security Grant Program appropriations need to increase four-fold to $400 million a year, but the ratio of grant funds going to ports needs to at least double to 50 percent to properly mitigate for security threats.
“Protecting our nation’s seaports against terrorism and other security threats helps ensure safe and reliable goods movement, which is critical to our economy.”