Port Security Officer: PFSO vs CSO at a Port Call

A port security officer is the person accountable for security at a port facility, and at a port call the role splits in two: the PFSO (Port Facility Security Officer, who runs security inside the terminal or berth) and the CSO (Company Security Officer, who runs security for the shipping company ashore). Suppliers meet both before a single pallet or bunker hose crosses the gate.

For a chandler, bunker supplier, port agent or repair yard, the practical question is who signs what at ISPS Level 2 (the heightened security level where additional protective measures are applied at the facility). This guide maps the roles to the stages of a port call.

What does a port security officer actually do?

The port security officer turns the facility security plan into daily checks: verifying documents, inspecting people and goods, running drills and keeping records.

A 2025 study of Cirebon port in Indonesia, published in Jurnal Patria Bahari, found the security organisation was formed as the ISPS Code requires, with active roles for the PFSO, the CSO and a Port Security Committee. The same study found document checks, screening of individuals and goods, and drills were carried out, but post-drill evaluation was not yet optimal.

That gap matters to suppliers. A drill that is not evaluated rarely fixes a slow gate process, and the supplier waiting at the gate feels it first.

PFSO vs CSO: who does what at a port call

The PFSO owns the facility side; the CSO owns the ship side. They coordinate through the DoS (Declaration of Security, the agreed record of security responsibilities shared between ship and port facility).

StagePFSOCSO Before arrivalConfirms facility security level and access rulesConfirms the ship security plan, level and DoS requirements At the gateScreens vehicles, people and goods against the pass listApproves who may board and what may come aboard Level 2 deliveryApplies extra measures: escorted access, restricted areas, searchConfirms additional ship-side measures and records them After the callKeeps facility records and reviews incidentsUpdates the ship security records and reports to the company

Both roles exist because the ISPS Code was written into SOLAS after the 2001 attacks, to reduce terrorism, piracy, cargo theft, stowaways and drug smuggling. A 2024 risk analysis of a port facility in the International Journal of Marine Engineering Innovation and Research sets out that purpose and rates facility security risk against the Code.

What paperwork does a supplier need at ISPS Level 2?

At Level 2 the facility applies extra protective measures, so the supplier's paperwork has to be complete before the truck reaches the gate, not at it.

Expect the PFSO's team to ask for:

• Company and driver identification, matched to a pre-registered access list.
• The delivery or service order naming the vessel, berth and ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival, the expected arrival time at the port).
• Vehicle and cargo details, so goods can be checked against what was declared.
• Any escort or restricted-area authorisation the facility requires at the higher level.

On the ship side, the CSO's plan governs who boards and what is allowed on board. The agent usually carries the coordination, which is why strong agent relationships shorten the gate queue.

Who signs what

The PFSO signs for the facility's security measures; the CSO signs for the ship's. The DoS records the split where ship and facility interact.

1. The agent confirms the arrival and the security level with both sides.
2. The PFSO approves facility access and any Level 2 measures.
3. The CSO approves boarding and delivery on board.
4. Both keep records; the supplier keeps its own copy of the approved access and order.

The Code itself is under review. According to Hellenic Shipping News (November 2026), the International Association of Ports and Harbors is leading port industry efforts to keep the ISPS Code fit for purpose two decades after its introduction. Digitalisation is part of that push: IAPH and the International Port Community Systems Association signed an MoU on digitalisation, interoperability, security and resilience at the 2026 IAPH World Ports Conference, Hellenic Shipping News reports (November 2026).

Where the role is heading

Port security work is becoming more technical. A 2021 study in The Asian Journal of Shipping and Logistics, based on 73 responses from Thai container ports, found cybersecurity knowledge and skills would become essential for PFSOs as port digitalisation and automation advance, with the role moving towards a technically oriented specialist.

Two current examples show why. The Port of Riga is becoming a testbed for resilient maritime connectivity under an MoU between technical port services provider LVR Flote and HARDMODE, according to Hellenic Shipping News (October 2026). And paperwork, not cranes, is a recurring cause of port cargo clearance delay, as Marine Insight sets out (October 2026).

Security level also follows the ship's voyage history. According to Splash247 (October 2026), the US Coast Guard imposed additional security conditions on commercial vessels arriving in American waters after calling at Somali ports.

How VesselReach helps

Security paperwork runs on the ETA, so the earlier a supplier knows a vessel is coming, the earlier the access list, order and escort request can be agreed with the PFSO and CSO.

• Vessel intelligence shows vessels near your chosen ports and scheduled arrivals, which means your team starts the Level 2 paperwork before the ship berths.
• Decision-maker discovery finds operations, fleet and marine superintendent roles by name, which means the request reaches the person who signs for the ship rather than a general inbox.
• Multichannel outreach runs staged email, WhatsApp and phone contact, which means follow-ups on a delayed ETA happen without a manual chase.

Book a VesselReach demo to see the workflow on your own ports, then test it in the 10-day free trial offered after the meeting.