Centre To Set Up Bureau Of Port Security

Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a meeting on the constitution of BoPS, which was attended by Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and Ram Mohan Naidu, Minister of Civil Aviation. During the discussions, Mr Shah underlined the need for a robust and future-ready port security architecture, directing that security measures be implemented in a graded and risk-based manner, factoring in vulnerabilities, trade potential, geographic location and other relevant parameters.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, BoPS will focus on the timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information. A dedicated cybersecurity division will be established within the Bureau to protect port information technology infrastructure from emerging digital threats.

BoPS will be constituted as a statutory body under Section 13 of the newly promulgated Merchant Shipping Act, 2025. Headed by a Director General, the Bureau will function under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and will be responsible for regulatory and oversight functions related to the security of ships and port facilities. The structure of BoPS is being modelled on the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.

The Bureau will be led by an Indian Police Service officer at Pay Level-15. During a one-year transition period, the Director General of Shipping will serve as the Director General of BoPS.

Earlier, the Central Industrial Security Force was designated as a Recognised Security Organisation for seaport facilities, with responsibility for conducting security assessments and preparing port security plans. The CISF has also been tasked with training and building the capacity of private security agencies engaged in port security. These agencies will be certified, and regulatory measures will be introduced to ensure that only licensed operators function in the sector.

The meeting also noted that best practices and lessons from the maritime security framework could be replicated in the aviation security domain to enhance overall national transport security.