Passenger and Baggage Security Screening Challenges in Marine Mass Transit

摘要

Security challenges within the passenger ferry transportation system, as with other industries, involve a delicate balance of asset protection policies with financial resources. To date, however, the U.S. has not had a serious terrorist related incident involving a passenger ferry, even on a small scale. As a result, the US Government has not implemented regulatory strictures and fiscal support in the industry as it has for civil aviation sector. History suggests that US maritime targets have not been particularly popular with terrorists unlike some other countries in recent years, such as the Philippines with ferry attacks by the Abu Sayyaf Group. The reasons for the maritime sector being spared may be luck or lack of opportunity. There are relatively few recorded terrorist attacks against maritime assets worldwide when compared to other transportation modalities such as air. The best-known terrorist attack against a US marine target was the hijacking of the passenger liner Achille Lauro. Though U.S. citizens were involved, U.S. marine assets were not.