1. INTRODUCTION

Ports have always been concerned about the safety of their personnel, the cargo they transfer and the ships that call. Risk assessment and risk management, therefore, traditionally focused on the potential for criminal activity and man-made or natural disasters. Just as the hijacking of Achille Lauro and the rising tide of piracy in various hot spots around the world have opened the eyes of port authorities to the spectre of vessel hijacking as a threat to be considered, the USS Cole incident awakened port authorities to the potential for small boat interference. Perhaps most important in sparking global re-examination of port security against terrorism, however, was the September 2001 attack on the World Trade Centre, New York, buildings owned by the Port Authority of New York New Jersey and its headquarters. Seven years later, the assessment and management of risk are still important primary concerns for port authorities.