| The maritime transport industry has been exposed to mounting pressure from acts of terrorism and crime since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. To defend against the vulnerabilities of this complex network, far-reaching structural changes and international regulations have been implemented. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to address the lack of measurement controls designed to gauge the effectiveness of maritime security regulations, by examining the implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code through a single research method, comprised of multiple design analyses. This was accomplished by utilizing official, international, agency records to compare stowaway incident statistics and to investigate the statistical difference with commercial vessel type. Reported stowaways and port state control security deficiencies were analyzed to determine if a relationship existed. A statistical approach of analysis of variance, a t-test, an observation of frequency distribution, and a simple correlation coefficient measure were employed. A Compromise Power Analysis was computed, using a sample size of 120, alpha = 0.0758, Power = 0.9242, and t (118) = 1.7915. The Noncentrality Parameter of 3.2316 indicated that N= 120 was sufficient to detect a medium size difference between pre and post ISPS Code implementation groups. A data analysis revealed that the number of pre-ISPS Code reported stowaway incidents was significantly higher than those reported post implementation (t = 42.47, t > 0.05). This result, amplified by a literary review and supported by the observed percent change for most vessel categories, is indicative of a negative trend in the number reported stowaway incidents. Additionally, a positive relationship (r = 0.44, r2 = 0.19) was proven to exist between the number of reported stowaways, embarked in Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) member nations, and the number of Paris MOU issued security deficiencies. Recommendations included mandatory requirements for reporting stowaway incidents, development of flag administration guidelines to identify high-risk stowaway areas, and to launch a maritime security concentrated inspection campaign. The findings of this study produced viable information for the maritime industry and serves as the foundation for researchers to continue the examination of maritime security trends. |
