Chennai, Sept 23: India has commenced training of personnel to meet an International Maritime Organisation (IMO) July next deadline for putting into place a "ship and port" security system in the wake of September 11 terrorist strike in the US. "About 50,000 navy personnel around the world, including about 20,000 from India, are undergoing training in security aspects in their respective countries", Director of Maritime Education and training, a private sector enterprise, Capt K Vivekanand told reporters here, today.

At any point of time about 46,000 merchant vessels were sailing the seven seas. The requirement of every type of ship was being assessed, after which recommendations would be made about the kind of security to be provided, he said. Under the proposed international ships and port security force, each ship would be equipped with a security officer. Besides, every shipping firm appointing a "company safety officer", IMO also directed appointment of "port facility security officers", he said.

He said that while one school of thought was to keep ships flying foreign flags together when at port, another suggestion was not to totally restrict entry, including trainee naval officers and engineers. Bureau Report