Company Security Officer (CSO)

The Company Security Officer is the shoreside person a shipping company designates to ensure each of its ships completes a ship security assessment, develops and maintains an approved ship security plan, and corrects deficiencies. ISPS Code Part A Section 11 sets the CSO’s duties: advising the threat level, ensuring SSP implementation, arranging audits, security training, and drills, and liaising with port facility and ship security officers. One CSO may serve several ships if each is identified. The CSO is the company-side counterpart to the shipboard Ship Security Officer.