Security, Defence, Technology & Specialised Operations
Maritime Security, Defence & Technology
This domain covers protecting ships and ports, naval and rescue operations, and the technology reshaping how vessels are run: security, defence, autonomy and specialised offshore work. Ship and port security runs through the ISPS Code, made mandatory by SOLAS chapter XI-2 after the 2002 amendments, backed by the BMP industry guidance for transiting high-risk areas. Autonomous shipping is governed by the IMO MASS framework, with a non-mandatory Code targeted for adoption around 2025 and a mandatory instrument to follow. Specialised operations include IMCA-class dynamic positioning that holds offshore vessels on station and the high-density safety regime of cruise ships.
This portal covers security operations, naval and SAR work, smart-ship technology and offshore and cruise specialisms. The statutory text of the ISPS Code and the autonomy rules also appears in /regulation/; the bridge and navigation hardware overlaps /ship-science/.
Topic clusters
Maritime Security & Risk
- Maritime cyber security & resilience
1 article, 2 calculators
- ISPS & port-facility security
2 articles, 0 calculators
- War-risk & high-risk-area transit
1 article, 2 calculators
Naval, Defence & Search-and-Rescue
- Naval & defence vessels
2 articles, 0 calculators
- Search and rescue (SAR)
2 articles, 0 calculators
Smart Shipping, Autonomy & Marine Technology
- Automation, monitoring & condition-based maintenance
2 articles, 0 calculators
- Autonomous ships (MASS)
1 article, 2 calculators
- Satellite communication & tracking
1 article, 4 calculators
Offshore, Cruise & Specialised Operations
- Cruise & passenger-ship operations
1 article, 4 calculators
- Dynamic positioning (DP)
3 articles, 7 calculators
- Offshore cranes & heavy lifting
1 article, 1 calculator
- Offshore drilling & well operations
1 article, 17 calculators
- Permit-to-work & offshore emergency response
1 article, 12 calculators
- Offshore support vessels & marine operations
3 articles, 8 calculators
- Subsea, pipelay & offshore installation
1 article, 20 calculators
Featured articles
Calculators by subject
Maritime Security & Risk
Smart Shipping, Autonomy & Marine Technology
Offshore, Cruise & Specialised Operations
- Cruise - Cabin Noise Limit
- Cruise - Pool Water Dispensing
- Cruise - Provisions Per PAX Per Day
- Cruise - Waste Water Tank Sizing
- DP Class 2 - Failure Envelope Capacity
- DP FMEA - Single-Fault Post Capability
- DP Station-Keeping - Footprint Radius
- DP - Thrust Capability Curve
- Offshore - DP watch level 1 - Green
- Offshore - DP watch level 2 - Yellow
- Offshore - DP watch level 3 - Red
- Crane Pedestal - Overturning Moment
- Drill String - Hook Load
- Offshore - BOP shear ram activation
- Offshore - BOP test
- Offshore - Casing running
- Offshore - Cementing - primary
- Offshore - Cementing - squeeze
- Offshore - Drill ahead
- Offshore - Gas lift
- Offshore - Kick detection
- Offshore - Mud displacement
- Drilling Mud - Formation Pressure Balance
- Offshore - Tripping in / out
- Offshore - Water injection
- Offshore - Well control - hard shut-in
- Offshore - Well control - soft shut-in
- Offshore - Well logging - LWD
- Offshore - Well logging - wireline
- Offshore - Crane operator permit
- Offshore - Cyclone evacuation
- Offshore - Fire drill - facility
- Offshore - Gas-release drill
- Offshore - Life raft - throw-overboard
- Offshore - Lifeboat - free-fall
- Offshore - Lifeboat - totally enclosed
- Offshore - Man-overboard drill
- Offshore - PTW - confined space
- Offshore - PTW - diving
- Offshore - PTW - hot work
- Offshore - PTW - working at height
- AHTS - Bollard Pull Test
- Offshore - Bunker transfer - offshore
- Offshore - Helicopter operations
- Offshore - Helideck clear-of-obstructions
- Offshore - Platform abandonment
- PSV - Deck Area & DWT
- Offshore Rig - Day Rate
- Escort Tug - Operating Speed Window
- Offshore - Flowline hydrate prevention
- Offshore - Flowline wax prevention
- Heave Compensator - Stroke Length
- Offshore - Jacket installation
- Offshore Jacket - Fundamental Period
- Offshore - Pipelay - J-lay
- Offshore - Pipelay - reel-lay
- Offshore - Pipelay - S-lay
- Offshore - Riser disconnect - EDS
- Offshore - Riser recoil
- Offshore - Riser running
- Production Riser - Top Tension
- Riser Vortex Shedding - Strouhal
- Offshore - ROV inspection
- Offshore - ROV valve operation
- Offshore - Subsea tree installation
- Offshore - Subsea trenching
- Offshore - Topside installation - float-over
- Offshore - Topside installation - lift
- Offshore Topside - Centre of Gravity Check
Common questions
- What does the ISPS Code require of ships and ports?
- The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code, mandatory under SOLAS chapter XI-2 since 1 July 2004, requires ships to carry a ship security plan, a Ship Security Officer and an alert system, and ports to assess threats and set one of three security levels.
- What is BMP in maritime security?
- Best Management Practices is industry guidance (current edition BMP5) for ships transiting piracy and armed-robbery zones; it sets hardening measures such as razor wire, citadels and reporting to naval coordination centres to deter and delay boarding.
- How close is fully autonomous shipping?
- The IMO is building the MASS framework with a non-mandatory Code targeted around 2025 and a mandatory instrument to follow; trials of crewed-but-remote and reduced-crew vessels are running, but no SOLAS ship operates uncrewed on international voyages under current rules.