On Wednesday morning the FSO course finished when the students made their presentations and took the final exam. The good news is that everyone passed, and the better news is that our nation and marine transportation system is now stronger by 34 fully qualified Facility Security Officers!

In the afternoon the symposium kicked off with opening remarks from Captain Michael P. Kahle, Commander of Sector St. Petersburg and Captain of the Port here in Tampa. He emphasized the importance of supply chains and the need for the Coast Guard, other agencies, and the many private sector companies to cooperate in preparing for contingencies and building resilience.

After Captain Kahle’s remarks, our own John Felker chaired a cybersecurity panel discussion with three experts from the Coast Guard: LCDR Matt Whitney from Coast Guard Headquarters, Mr. Nick Parham from Coast Guard Atlantic Area, and Mr. Carl Hatfield from Coast Guard District Eight. These three individuals have tremendous technical expertise, but they helped us all understand cyber risks in simple terms.

They also discussed some emerging policies and described the Coast Guard’s “Cyber Protection Teams”, which are available, free of charge, to help MTSA facilities with cybersecurity challenges. These teams are NOT part of the Coast Guard’s regulatory program, so you can take advantage of their services without the risk of a fine or requirement. Contact any S&A member for more information or contact them directly at maritimecyber@uscg.mil.

Jorge Torres, Port Tampa Bay FSO, receives S&A Maritime Excellence award

Spencer Byrum, CEO of HRS Consulting, introduced us to the concept of High Reliability Organizations, situational awareness, and not driving your ship straight into the lighthouse. Many of us have operational environments that are “volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous”, but we can learn to recognize red flags and take action to address these complex risks.

Dr. Will Wilkins, Executive Director, Global Security & Construction Management for Valero made a captivating presentation on preparing and responding to protest activities. Have a clear-eyed discussion with both your security personnel, and your senior management, about how to respond to these types of events BEFORE they happen to you.

After the presentations we all attended an informal reception where we were delighted to present Jorge Torres, of the Port of Tampa Bay, with our Maritime Excellence Award.