Security Level 3 Sign

Security Level 3 Sign | IMPA 33.2703 – ISSA 47.527.03 (ISPS0006)

The Security Level 3 sign (ISPS0006) is a maritime security status board used to declare that a ship or port facility has been raised to the highest ISPS security level, applied only when a security incident is probable or imminent. It is displayed for crew, contractors, stevedores, ship’s agents and visiting port officials to see the moment they approach the vessel or terminal, so everyone on board or on site understands, without ambiguity, that exceptional protective measures are now in force and access is being tightly restricted.

Within Safety Sign Hub’s ISPA Signs range, this sign is one of three matching security status boards (Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3), designed to be swapped at the point of access as the declared level changes. It is typically fitted at the gangway or accommodation ladder, the main deck access point, the security office, the cargo control room, and at port facility entry gates and vehicle checkpoints. Displaying the correct Security Level 3 sign is a direct, auditable action called for in the vessel’s Ship Security Plan (SSP) or the port facility’s Port Facility Security Plan (PFSP), forming part of the documented response when the Company Security Officer (CSO) or Port Facility Security Officer (PFSO) confirms an escalation.

Signs in this range are supplied as rigid marine-grade board or self-adhesive vinyl, finished to withstand UV exposure, saltwater spray and general deck wear, with a photoluminescent option available for gangway watch points that are unlit or dimmed during heightened alert.

Why Security Level 3 Signage Matters

A vessel or terminal moving to this alert status is responding to a credible, specific threat, and the single greatest operational risk at that moment is confusion at the point of access – a watchkeeper, contractor or visitor who does not immediately register that screening, identification checks and access restrictions have changed. The ISPS Code exists to build exactly this kind of security culture: clear, visible, unmistakable signalling of status so everyone approaching the ship or facility self-regulates their behaviour before a gap in the security plan can be exploited. A missing or outdated Security Level 3 sign undermines that culture, leaving room for unauthorised access or undocumented visitors to pass a checkpoint that should be under exceptional control.

Compliance and Certification

This is not an ISO 7010 hazard pictogram – it is maritime security signage produced with reference to the ISPS Code (the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code, part of SOLAS Chapter XI-2) and IMO guidance on security signage. The wording on the Security Level 3 sign should match exactly what is specified in the vessel’s Ship Security Plan or the facility’s Port Facility Security Plan, as approved by the Ship Security Officer (SSO), Company Security Officer (CSO) or Port Facility Security Officer (PFSO). During ISPS audits, Port State Control officers and classification society surveyors routinely check that the security signage displayed on board or at the terminal matches the declared level and the approved Security Plan on file.

Installation Recommendations

Mount the sign in a changeable holder or bracket at the gangway watch station and any other access point named in the Security Plan, at eye height where it is the first thing anyone boarding will see. Keep the Level 1 and Level 2 boards on hand at the same location so the correct one can be swapped in immediately when the declared level changes, and confirm placement with the SSO or PFSO during drills.

• Rigid marine-grade board or self-adhesive vinyl construction for exterior deck and terminal use
• UV- and saltwater-resistant finish suited to long-term outdoor exposure
• Photoluminescent option for gangway and checkpoint use in low-light conditions
• Reproduces the standard IMPA 33.2703 / ISSA 47.527.03 wording and format
• Sized for gangway holders, checkpoint stands and security office display boards

Order the Security Level 3 sign from Safety Sign Hub’s ISPA Signs range alongside the matching Security Level 1 and Security Level 2 boards, and pair it with our Mandatory Signs to keep every access point aligned with your approved Security Plan.