Virginia Port Authority deploys situation management tool
The deployment began in early November. Part of the financing for the project came from a $3 million grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to enhance security at three state-owned marine terminals.
Situator enables the Virginia Port Authority to integrate internal and external data and video communications, police dispatch systems and command-center alert and display systems for three of its facilities—Norfolk International Terminals, Newport News Marine Terminal and Portsmouth Marine Terminal—in one location. It also supports emergency response and continuity of operations, real-time information exchange within the maritime domain, credentialing and C-TPAT (Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) compliance.
“The port has been on an extensive and exhaustive search of the right technology for our emerging command and control center,” said Ed Merkle, director of port security and emergency operations for the Virginia Port Authority. “While we found many solutions, Situator proved to be the best value in the market.”
Situator is a security and safety situation management software for integrated control rooms. It creates an environment where all current and future technologies, people and actionable procedures are fused into a unified control and management platform.
Situator leverages existing security investments and empowers security personnel to focus on exception management. With its advanced yet easy-to-use planning tools, Situator helps transform routine and emergency plans into actionable and adaptive tasks and procedures and integrates them with virtually any security and safety devices, management systems, dynamic data sources and communication systems.
A comprehensive security approach
The Virginia Port Authority owns four general cargo terminals: Norfolk International Terminals, Newport News Marine Terminal, Portsmouth Marine Terminal and the Virginia Inland Port in Front Royal. In 2006, these ports transported 16.5 millions tons of cargo. The Virginia Port Authority’s terminals span multiple cities and include distribution warehouses, cargo terminals and an intermodal facility that connects truck and rail to transport oceangoing containers.
With Orsus’ Situator, the Virginia Port Authority can integrate incident reporting, simulate security-related events for training purposes and deploy system analysis tools to provide a comprehensive security approach. It also enables the port to improve risk management, minimize vulnerability and comply with security regulations governing port facilities.
“The Virginia Port Authority is an early technology adopter, and by deploying Situator, the port for the first time has an emergency response solution that integrates all their security functions into a central command-and-control system,” said Gal Oron, president Americas, Orsus. “Ports and other high-risk facilities demand the most forward-thinking security solutions. Orsus is proud to be able to meet these demands with Situator.”
Orsus provided this case history.