This document was produced by the Interdepartmental Marine Security Working Group (January 2004)

Introduction
Security Zones
Activities and Objectives
Assessing Risk
Transport Canada's Approach to Marine Security

Introduction

Canada has one of the safest and most secure transportation systems in the world. However, certain aspects of the marine transportation system need to be further enhanced in order to ensure that this system continues to function effectively.

In order to assess the security of Canada’s marine transportation system, the Interdepartmental Marine Security Working Group (IMSWG) first identified Canada’s marine security zones, and key activity areas.

Security Zones

The marine security environment can be conceived as a series of zones (see Fig. 1) around Canada. 

• Foreign: territory and territorial waters of other states and their marine infrastructure
• International Waters: marine areas outside of the control of sovereign states
• Canadian Waters: marine areas and infrastructure within Canada’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) which are within 200 nautical miles from Canadian coasts
• Coastal/Landside: immediate coastal areas, the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence Seaway and marine infrastructure within our territorial sea as well as their landside infrastructure, which are within 12 nautical miles form Canadian coasts.

Fig. 1 

Please note:   The EEZ 200 nm buffer zone is not related to the operational / intervention perimeter applicable under the Marine Transportation Security Regulations (MTSRs).

Activities and Objectives

Within these security zones, marine security activities can be grouped into four categories, with the objectives of each varying according to the security zone in which it takes place:

• Domain awareness
• Responsiveness
• Safeguarding
• Collaboration

Domain Awareness

This activity area includes Canada’s surveillance and awareness efforts within the marine zones, as well as liaison and coordination with Canadian and international intelligence gathering bodies. 

Within this activity area, security efforts are guided by the principle that the greater the vulnerability the more detailed the Government of Canada’s information requirements. The key objectives include developing a comprehensive knowledge of people, containers, goods, and vessels from foreign points of origin to Canadian points of destination and timely information collection and sharing among key departments through secure means.

Responsiveness

Included in this area are enforcement efforts conducted in cooperation with police forces and security agencies to intercept and apprehend would-be terrorists and their devices.

Responsiveness activities are guided by the principle that action must be taken at the earliest possible opportunity and preferably at a distance from Canada and Canadians. Key objectives include the ability to interdict, apprehend and contain high-risk people, containers, goods and vessels at the earliest opportunity and respond to incidents in a timely manner. 

Safeguarding

The safeguarding activity area includes efforts to enhance the physical security of marine infrastructure or other critical infrastructure in or around marine areas. It also includes efforts to enhance personnel screening to prevent potential terrorists or terrorist devices from gaining entry into Canada or accessing our marine transportation system.

The key principle guiding safeguarding activities is that the marine system is only as strong as its weakest link. Key objectives are ensuring the integrity of critical physical and technological infrastructures and preventing infiltration of high-risk people and objects into the marine system. 

Collaboration 

Collaboration is key to the effectiveness of domain awareness, responsiveness and safeguarding activities. This activity area supports the other three by aiming to ensure that the departments, agencies and other organizations with a responsibility for marine security and anti-terrorism — including U.S. and international counterparts — should share information effectively and securely, assess risk and have a coordinated response subject to applicable laws. 

Collaboration is guided by the principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Its key objectives are creating the greatest possible awareness among federal departments and agencies with marine anti-terrorism mandates and achieving high quality and timely decision-making within and among participating departments and agencies. 

Assessing Risk

After identifying Canada’s marine security zones, and defining key activity areas, a systematic high-level analysis was undertaken by the IMSWG to assess potential threats to the marine system, as well as areas where vulnerabilities exist. This risk assessment included considerations such as: 

• Where do potential threats exist?
• What security measures are already in place?
• Where do security gaps or vulnerabilities exist?
• What are the consequences if security gaps are exploited?
• What initiatives are practical, given that there are limitations on resources?

The chart below describes the areas identified for improvement by the IMSWG.

The results of the risk assessment were then used to determine a set of broad program initiatives directed at reducing the vulnerabilities identified. Building on this, an order of priority was established, aimed at achieving a balanced reduction of risk levels across all security zones. 

These priorities were used to decide on the allocation of available resources, which were directed to those areas where it was assessed they would have the greatest impact on the effectiveness of Canada’s marine security system.

The analysis showed that improving collaboration among federal departments is a priority because marine security is an interdepartmental, inter-jurisdictional and international effort. Improving collaboration will contribute to improvement in other activity areas. Domain awareness is of similar priority due to the need to increase the probability of identifying threats as soon as possible, thereby granting more time to develop further intelligence, target effective responses, and prepare landside resources for potential incidents. Safeguarding and responsiveness follow as priority areas, as Canada has in place significant response capacity and greater efforts are needed to prevent terrorist incidents from occurring.

Establishing priorities is also shaped by other considerations such as the impact on public confidence, economic factors, international relations, level of government control and benefits other than those related to security.

Transport Canada’s Approach to Marine Security

The Vision of Transport Canada’s marine security program is to achieve the following:

“Canada’s Marine Security System will reduce Canadians’ vulnerability to terrorist attack and/or terrorist exploitation of the Canadian maritime domain as a conduit to attack our allies, while preserving the accessibility and efficiency of the Canadian marine transportation system for legitimate pursuits.”

Through a number of program initiatives, Transport Canada continues to enhance or maintain the following outcomes:

• Effective threat identification and response capacity
• Visible on-water federal presence
• Secure ports and marine facilities
• Effective information sharing with international and industry partners, multi-lateral organizations, and provinces and municipalities, and
• A marine transportation system that is both secure and efficient