Page 48: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (Q1 2012)

Even though fences are not normally something associat- ed with the water, the old parable about good fences making good neighbors undoubtedly applies to the maritime industry as well. Preventing unauthorized access to a sensitive facility is just as important whether the perimeter in question is wet, or dry. But the degree of dif Þ culty associated with protecting a waterside perimeter can be signi Þ cantly greater. Merriam-Webster de Þ nes a barrier as a: ?structure that pre- vents or hinders movement or action.? Preventing or hindering movement or action can bene Þ t all who come in close prox- imity to a sensitive waterside facility ? except, of course, an adversary. Establishing a clearly demarcated waterside perimeter, us- ing an impenetrable barrier solution, serves multiple purposes, namely: it clearly identi Þ es the limits of approach to a facil- ity; it establishes an outer ring of protection; it simpli Þ es the security response protocols and patrolling requirements; and it eliminates any confusion that can exist on the water with regard to where a perimeter is actually located. In short, good (waterside) barriers make good neighbors. DECISION POINTSAttacks carried out by terrorists, saboteurs, and others with illegal intent all have the potential to signi Þ cantly disrupt the core business being conducted inside of an established water- side security perimeter. Ultimately, the crimes perpetrated by these individuals can serve to threaten operations, and sub- sequently reduce the competitive posture of the businesses, facilities and nations, that are targeted. There is a fairly wide variety of marine barrier solutions be- ing offered on the market today. These barriers can be Þ xed or mobile, permanent or temporary, con Þ gurable or standard, and on. In light of the array of con Þ gurations and speci Þ ca- tions that are currently being offered, it is important for a buyer to stay focused on performance. This may actually be the most important decision point, particularly when it comes to a security solution that is required to perform in a marine environment. Salt water conditions are notoriously hard on equipment, and Þ elding barrier technologies that operate ef- fectively, while ß oating on the sea, adds an additional level of complexity to the challenge. *RRG%DUULHUV *RRG1HLJKERUVSSecurity7HFKQRORJ\ by Luke Ritter 48 I Maritime Professional I1Q 2012