The Belize Port Authority has taken a strong position regarding Port Security and has completed all the necessary legislative work to give legal support to the International Ship & Port Security (ISPS) Code in Belize.

Specifically in June of 2004, the Ministry of Works & Transport enacted Statutory Instrument No.101 of 2004: Port Security Regulations, which gave legal effect in Belize to the ISPS Code as it relate to port facility security. The Belize Port Authority is the Designated Authority for oversight of port security in Belize and has issued an ISPS Compliance Guideline to all its facilities. This guideline was created to assist Port Facility Security Officers (PFSO) & port operators to better understand what is expected of them by the ISPS Code.

The aim and objective of this ISPS Code is to establish an International framework involving cooperation between government agencies, local administration and the shipping and port industries to detect and deter acts of terrorism which threatens security in the maritime sector.

Since the inception of the Code the Authority has issued all port facilities with a Certificate of Compliance after they have met the requirements.

All port facilities have a designated PFSO and are all operating under an approved Port Facility Security Plan.