| Summary: | The United States and the international community have implemented numerous measures since 2001 designed to improve the security of maritime commerce. Special attention has been paid to the vulnerability of port facilities to exploitation by terrorists or other illicit actors. While the implementation of enhanced port security measures in Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Iraq may have improved some aspects of maritime security, significant vulnerabilities remain. While strong physical security at ports and stringent inspection regimes for container cargo are important elements in protecting maritime infrastructure worldwide, port security measures may yet be undermined by a failure to provide mechanisms which verify the identities and credentials of all individuals with access to ports, secure non-container cargo, and prevent illicit actors from accessing and exploiting port facilities.
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