Somebodys watching you

As a result of largely US-led legislation, ports and harbours throughout the world have had to invest in new security and surveillance equipment to meet the raft of terrorist prevention requirements introduced since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but such is the rapidity of technological advancement and development that what is often installed today is out-of-date by tomorrow. So just how can port authorities ensure their investments stand the test of time?

Chris Kauffmann, Jacksonville Port Authority’s (Jaxport) senior director for operations and security, says it’s a Catch 22 situation. “You have to put systems in place now but eighteen months down the line, it’s outdated and you just can’t afford to renew every eighteen months.”

This was in fact a topic for discussion during the recent Maritime & Port Security 2008 conference in Arlington, Virgina, in January, and Mr Kauffmann recalled that most of the delegates were at odds that the majority of systems become obsolete well before their actual life expectancy is over. “You do have to be careful to select the right equipment from the outset. You have to gauge where the technology is heading,” he says.

So called “Smart” technology and systems integration is the way forward and it seems Jaxport is ahead of the game. All of the ports under Jaxport control have installed intelligent ObjectVideo software which provides alerts should the ports’ CCTV cameras spot anomalies within certain pre-defined rules.

The software, which works within any existing video infrastructure and with any type of video feed, enables the automatic detection of a wide range of events and activities, such as perimeter breaches, loitering, unauthorised entry/exit, and theft of items etc by using algorithms to detect, classify and track objects. It immediately generates real-time alerts, triggers for other applications, stores business data whenever user-defined security rules are violated and/or creates a searchable repository of stored information about each event. These alerts can then be broadcast instantly and automatically via email, mobile phone, or to a designated command centre.

The potential of this technology has prompted Jaxport to integrate this and other technologies, such as the sensor equipment, with the surveillance systems used by port partners and stakeholder across its three terminals to feed into one command centre.

However, such integration, especially video, is not without its problems and while espousing the virtues of next generation video analytical technologies, Jon Morris, technical manager with Belfast-based Bell Security, warns that network capacities are critical to the ability to run IP camera solutions and ports may need to invest in greater network capacity if it is not to interfere with other day-to-day networked operations.

“IP cameras are now available of a standard where they can deliver in terms of appropriate quality/performance if the client has its own network and the client’s IT department will allow the cameras’ connection to the network. This is generally allowed locally (for an on-site LAN) but is more of an issue over a WAN that interconnects sites – due to the significant amount of network capacity that CCTV systems need to convey image information of a quality that has real security value to the client,” says Mr Morris.

Bell Security, which is currently involved in security installations at two major UK ports, is beginning to see an increased interest in video analytics, such as the software developed by UK-based Asset Security, and the ground radar technology, Blighter, from Plextek.

The latest software can analyse the view and even standard analogue CCTV systems can be retrofitted to assess the image and raise alarms as the technology understands the perspective of its view, says Mr Morris. “It’s all very leading edge stuff and has been difficult getting clients to understand the benefits,” he adds, pointing not so much to a great wind of change but a refreshing breeze. “There is a change taking place with more understanding of what can be achieved, but it is still driven more by regulation than desire.”

Bell Security also notes an increased interest in radar and radiation detection technologies. But while the latter system is swiftly being adopted to screen every vehicle and container that enters the port, it is the developments made in ground radar technology that could provide an added dimension to port surveillance. The concept, adapted for commercial use from its military origin, can detect ground level movement up to five kilometres away.

Stephen Dryden, chief executive of The Mariner Group, believes this technology could be the key to filling a gaping hole in port and harbour security; a hole that came to very public notice in 2000 when a small rigid inflatable boat packed with explosives ploughed into the USS Cole.

In a statement he made before the US House of Representatives’ Committee on Homeland Security, which detailed his company’s CommandBridge concept of which more later, Mr Dryden said: “Better sensor technology [is required] to track small boats and non-cooperative vessels that may attempt to spoof or turn off required Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders. The current state of technology in today’s ports falls short in their ability to track non-cooperative vessels and small boats. For example, a vessel may be deemed non-cooperative if AIS tracking isn’t turned on. Small boats that don’t have AIS are also a potential threat. But emerging projects such as the US Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate’s/US Coast Guard Research & Development Center’s Automated Scene Understanding project could offer the potential to mitigate this shortfall.”

The Mariner Group has been working with the US Coast Guard over the past three years to significantly improve maritime domain awareness and response through its software application CommandBridge.

With more and more technologies being used by ports to detect and deter breaches in security, such as radar, cameras, AIS, perimeter detection systems and so on, the resultant effect is that port watchkeepers could suffer information overload, making it harder to focus on the most important information and consequently rendering the installations ineffective. But CommandBridge affords “Actionable Situational Awareness” by coalescing information from a diverse range of sources, analysing the information for anomalies, and then delivering actionable knowledge, keeping the user focused on what is important.

Mr Dryden illustrates a scenario in which CommandBridge would benefit port security operations: “If a container ship is heading for the Port of Miami, [CommandBridge] tracks its progress. Before a vessel has entered the area, it analyses all relevant information, assessing anomalies, safety, and terrorist potential. Information from the Coast Guard, port authorities, harbour pilots, Lloyd’s Register, and other vital sources pour in, creating a federated view. In addition, we will be working to incorporate information on cargo sensitivity with relevant information collected about the vessel.

“Correlating and verifying all information, it can apply anomaly detection to monitor information such as changes in ownership, manifest discrepancies, inconsistent arrival information, and other intelligence as it becomes available. These anomalies automatically display on the user’s screen as an alert that necessitates immediate action. In addition, it currently allows the Coast Guard to maintain operational control such as alerting the watchkeeper that a vessel operating under restriction has begun to move,” Mr Dryden told Congress.

While costs for such systems are variable it is expected that there will be some kind of trade-off between the various port stakeholders and authorities in sharing the costs of installing such equipment. But the long-term cost benefits with this next generation surveillance equipment are unequivocal. Not only can they prevent and deter any attempt to breach security, but the manning of command centres could be reduced considerably, insurance premiums could be reduced and there are also environmental and safety enhancing benefits with such equipment.