ANALYZING THE APPLICATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY (ICT) FOR MARITIME SECURITY

1.1 Introduction

Maritime Security is the grouping of preventive and responsive actions to guard the maritime sphere against threats and intended illegitimate acts (Feldt, Roeli, and Thiele, 2013). The maritime security has transpired a point of reference in the same time period and there occurred a shift in security discourse regarding threat perception of states as well as non-state actors and changing nature of security conceptualization and challenges in oceanic spaces.

Maritime security is critical for sustainable growth of global commerce conducted along ocean passages or maritime domain. About 90% of goods supporting the global economy are transported through the oceans. The ocean contains numerous resources that support livelihood of present and future generation (Randrianantenaina, 2013).

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitation of the study and Definition of terms.

1.2 Background of Study

Worldwide Port and Maritime operations and their associated facilities and infrastructure collectively represent one of the single greatest unaddressed challenges to the security of nations and the global economy today. The reason that ports and shipping activity are so difficult to secure lies primarily in their technology. Ports are typically large, asymmetrical activities dispersed over hundreds of acres of land and water so that they can simultaneously accommodate ship, truck and rail traffic, petroleum product/liquid offload, storage or piping, and container storage.

The movement of freight, cargo (solid or liquid), and transport through a port is generally on a “queuing” system, meaning that any delay snarls all operations. Whether or not delays are related to security, security generally falls by the wayside in the interest of time management or convenience. Globally, there are very few uniform standards for point-to-point control of security on containers, cargoes, vessels or crews - a port's security in one nation remains very much at the mercy of a port's security, or lack thereof, in another nation. Organized crime is entrenched in many ports and a large majority of them still do not require background checks on dock workers, crane operators or warehouse employees. Most ports lease large portions of their facility to private terminal operating companies, who are responsible for their own security.

ICT brings continuous progression and shifts to international relations and its praxis, particularly cyber technologies which have added perspectives and options to interstate relations. It has also threatened maritime security environment through innovative yet disruptive technologies. The undertaken research aims at evaluating emerging cyber technologies potentially affecting global economic activities, navigational safety across Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs).

Therefore, in Nigeria Water Ways where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to analyze the Application of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for Maritime Security.

1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that the maritime security is, indeed, a quandary (Uadiale and Yonmo, 2010a). The disintegration of central government authority, the lack of maritime security has, therefore, become a grave problem. The Horn of Africa and the Gulf of Guinea are thus symbols of “the few cases in Africa where security onland have spilled over and affected maritime security severely”. The lack of maritime security in the region and the fact that it was not possible to enforce the law and maintain good order at sea, threatened maritime communication, maritime sovereignty and stimulated piracy. While much of the insecurity mid-wife, piracy of the Somalia coast stems from the collapse of governance, and law and order in Somalia, in the Gulf of Guinea, the situation is somewhat different.

Maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea is more directly politically driven. In Nigeria, politics onland directly result in offshore actions, causing the hub of insecurity onland in the Niger Delta region to spill into the Gulf of Guinea to promote bad order at sea. According to the maritime watchdog — the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), the waters of Nigeria are now the second most dangerous in the world, next to Somalia.The proliferation of piracy in the West African region has been of concern amongst government and the oil industry since 1999. With militant groups turning pirates in the Niger Delta, claiming that they are sabotaging the oil industry for political purposes in protest of the mismanagement of Nigeria's oil wealth. However, these political grievances are increasingly taking on a criminal nature (Uadiale and Yonmo, 2010a).

1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to analyze the Application of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for Maritime Security. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To examine the relationship between ICT and the improvement of maritime security in the area under study;
2. To assess maritime security, information and communications technology; and
3. To determine the risk factors affecting implementation of ICT services on maritime security experts onboard Vessels at Sea.

1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• How can maritime security, information and communications technology be assessed?
• What is the relationship between ICT and the improvement of maritime security in the area under study?
• What is the risk factor affecting implementation of ICT services on maritime security experts onboard Vessels at Sea?

1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: There are no significant risk factors inhibiting the accessibility of maritime security, information and communications technology
• H1: There are significant risk factors inhibiting the accessibility of maritime security, information and communications technology

1.7 Significance of Study

Information Communication Technology (ICT) facilitates information exchange between two or more devices like computers, mobile PDAs and hi-tech devices through which any of the several methods of interconnection, principally through the Internet can be initiated to perform a defined task. These technologies provide speedy, inexpensive, secure and convenient means of communication.

Therefore, in developing countries Nigeria precisely, the impact of ICT in the maritime sector for maritime operations and security cannot be over emphasized.It is as a result of this that this research study is determined to assess the impact of ICT on security of Maritime operations.

This study will also be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.

1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of this research is focused on Analyzing the Application of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for Maritime Security using Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) as a case study.

1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
3. Lack of Initial Cooperation from Respondents: A particular limitation of this work came as a result of the respondent refusal to offer their cooperation at the initial time they were contacted. This contributed in making the success of this research study difficult.

1.10 Definition of Terms

Port Security:

It is an aspect of maritime security that is very essential in facilitating safe and secure maritime transport.

Maritime:

This is connected with the sea, especially in relation to seaborne trade or naval matters.

Security:

This refers to protection of a person, building, organization, or country against threats.

ICT:

It is an acronym of Information and Communications Technology, which refers to all forms of technologies such as internet, computers, websites, telephones mobiles, wireless devices, networks, hardware, software and telecommunication equipment.

ICT Facilities:

They are a technological device used to processing, analyzing, synthesizing, sharing different kinds of information and information processing activities and tools that are necessary to improve teaching and learning process.