Security Levels
IOC: Project Description
Turning Awareness Into Action
The Security and Accountability for Every Port (SAFE Port) Act of 2006 mandated the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) establish Interagency Operations Centers (IOCs) for port security in key ports. In response, the Coast Guard began the IOC project to transform multi-agency maritime security operations and enhance unity of effort in large ports.
The IOC framework enables a unified coalition of port agencies to conduct and apply risk-based operational planning for efficient, collaborative use of multi-agency resources for improved operational effectiveness.
The objectives for IOCs are to:
- Collaborate with port partners for joint planning and operations through risk-based assignment of resources to mission demands;
- Share targeting, intelligence and scheduling information to improve situational awareness, uncover gaps in planned and ongoing operations, and reduce duplication of effort between agencies;
- Allow Coast Guard command centers to develop real-time awareness, evaluate threats and deploy finite resources to the right places through active collection of port activity information; and
- Minimize the economic impact from any disruption, whether natural or manmade.
A primary enabler of IOCs is the establishment of an information sharing and management system. This software, called WatchKeeper, facilitates information exchange across multi-agency port partners, and coordinates and organizes port security information to help DHS and other federal, state and local maritime partners make the best use of their resources to keep America’s ports safe. WatchKeeper provides IOC member agencies with:
- Access to a geographic information tool that provides a Common Operating Picture to achieve enhanced situational awareness;
- Shared awareness of the operational schedules of maritime assets in the port; and
- A tool to present and share the products of regular coordination meetings with federal, state and local port partners, including awareness and coordination between the Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection of planned vessel inspection activities.
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