The International Association of Ports and Harbours has begun a concerted push to ensure the International Ship and Port Facility Security code remains fit for purpose two decades after its introduction.
Sources indicated on 6 November 2026 that the IAPH is leading port industry efforts to review and strengthen the ISPS Code. The piece presents the association’s activity as a coordinated industry initiative rather than an isolated statement.
IAPH is described in the report as a recognised non‑governmental organisation at the International Maritime organisation and as the global voice for world ports for more than 70 years. That standing makes the association a central convenor for ports wishing to shape international maritime security practice.
The report notes the timing of the initiative: roughly two decades on from the ISPS Code’s introduction, ports and their representative bodies are assessing whether the framework continues to meet contemporary needs. The effort, as framed in the report, is about ensuring the code remains fit for purpose rather than seeking wholesale replacement.
Ports driving the agenda
According to the report, the initiative is port led, with IAPH acting as the focal point for coordination and engagement across the industry. Ports and port bodies are therefore positioned to articulate practical, operational perspectives to the international regulatory process.
Security frameworks under scrutiny
The report frames the review as a forward‑looking exercise. It suggests ports are examining how the ISPS Code performs against evolving threats and new operational realities, and that IAPH’s role is to marshal industry views for consideration at the international level.
reports’s account places the work in the context of industry stewardship: IAPH is leading efforts rather than the initiative originating solely from national administrations or the IMO. That distinction underlines the ports’ desire to influence the discussion directly through their established global representative.
The report does not set out a timetable or detailed measures; it characterises the activity as an industry process to ensure continued relevance. The emphasis is on collaboration within the port sector and on bringing a collective ports perspective to discussions about maritime security standards.
Observers quoted in the report are not reproduced here; the published item is summarised as indicating an organised push by ports under IAPH’s leadership. The report therefore serves as an account of the association’s stated priorities and of the industry’s intent to engage on the ISPS Code’s future.
The outcome of the work will depend on subsequent consultations and any formal submissions made to international fora. For now, the report records the launch of a port‑industry effort under IAPH’s stewardship to examine the ISPS framework and to argue for measures that keep the code aligned with contemporary port operations and security concerns.
Ports were not named individually in the report used for this summary. The reports item on 6 November 2026 provides the primary public record of IAPH’s reported initiative to lead the port sector’s engagement on the ISPS Code.