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Ricky Hall is Security Superintendent for the Pilbara Ports Authority. He is very experienced within industrial environments and has excellent knowledge of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code and Maritime Transport and Offshore Facilities Security Act and Regulations.
As an industry expert, Ricky was kind enough to contribute his thoughts on National Transport Security as it pertains to regional ports. 
Ricky, can you please tell us a little about your professional background and the path to your present role?
I am the Security Superintendent with Pilbara Ports Authority, responsible for security management at the security regulated ports of Port Hedland, Dampier and Ashburton.
I have over 25 years’ experience in security management and policing, having worked in security management roles within the maritime, oil & gas, mining and hospitality industries. My previous roles include working as the security manager on the Chevron operated Gobe Petroleum Project in the Southern Highlands and Gulf provinces of Papua New Guinea. I’ve also spent time working in a close personal protection role throughout South East Asia and Papua New Guinea, and served as a Police Officer with the WA Police.
What differentiates maritime security from that of other transport networks?
Within port environments the landside area of the port from a security perspective has generally been well managed. The waterside is an area of the port environment where port operators and port facility operators have a greater area of exposure due to the difficulties and resources required to effectively monitor the waterside areas of a port environment as part of a maritime security regime.
What are the key challenges of managing security for a remote regional port?
Implementing and managing a maritime security regime within a remote regional port creates many challenges not faced by security regulated ports in metropolitan area (i.e. Fremantle, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane).
The main issues that the Port of Port Hedland faces in managing its outcome based maritime security regime are:
- Location, location, location…!
- Accommodation Costs
- Cost of doing business in the Pilbara
- Climate and environmental conditions
- Security contractor and personnel availability
- Hazard Management Agency resources, assets and response times
Book now for the National Transport Security, 4-5 March in Melbourne. Key speakers include:
- Commander Brian McDonald, Manager Counter Terrorism, Australian Federal Police
- Geoffrey D. Askew AM, Principal, Askew & Associates
- Ivan Bacich, Operations Business Manager, Fremantle Port Authority
- David Campbell, Ag Executive Manager, CERT Australia, Attorney General’s Department
- Commander Michael Chew, Manager Aviation, Australian Federal Police
- Travis Jones, Manager Security and Compliance, Melbourne Airport
- Dr Alexey Muraviev, Head, Department of Social Sciences & International Studies, Curtin University
- Adjunct Professor Clive Williams MG, Adjunct Professor, Centre for Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism (PICT), Macquarie University