Terrorism Risk of Operating Seaport

Terrorism Risk of Operating Seaport

The September 11,2001 attacks gives an implications towards many countries; especially U.S. regarding concerns of their critical infrastructures risks. Ever since, transportation industry has been one of the continuing target of the terrorists over the world ranging from airliners to seaport due to the effect of globalization and liberalized economics. Among them,shipping is particularly vulnerable to terrorism attack, either direct target or indirectly as a service provider.Among the terrorist attack cases held in seaports are; the hijacking of the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro in the Mediterranean Sea,1985 and the latest incidents held in Yemeni waters in 2002 which involoves bombing of the French tanker,VLCC Limberg(E.Z.Tzannatos, 2003). As an effect, seaports nowadays has become an illicit target of transportation of terrorist weapon from conventional explosives to unconventional chemicals, biological and radiological agents.

Further, there are many tactics that the terrorists can used in order to realize their mission which mainly for creating mass destruction, port disruption and environmental damage to particular country. According to National Homeland Security of U.S., the tactics that normally used by the terrorists by using sea channel is by using explosive-laden suicide boats and light aircraft, merchant and cruise ships port facility, offshore platform, commercial vessels or by underwater swimmers to penetrate ports. The terrorist may also take advantage of a vessel's legitimate cargo, such as chemicals, petroleum or liquefied natural gas (LNG) as the explosive component of an attack. Vessels can also be used to transport powerful conventional explosives or nuclear for detonation in a port or alongside an offshore facility (Frittelli, 2007).

As far as we concern, seaports are vulnerable to terrorism risk . It is due to the location of most seaports in the world are situated along side the open seas coastal which offer little shielding against weapon effects. For instance, seaports mainly situated along the Straits of Malacca like Singapore and Klang Port is vulnerable to the piracy and terrorism attack. Some seaport have great quantities of inflammable material, such as fuel; fires could extend the area of destruction and release toxic gases. While ports may stretch on for miles, a 15- kiloton weapon would have enough force to destroy many key facilities of a typical port.

In addition, Robert Bonner, Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, believes that an attack using a bomb in a container would stop container shipments, leading to "devastating" consequences for the global economy, bringing some countries to "the edge of economic collapse." With many of the largest ports in or near major cities, a nuclear bomb detonated in a port could kill