Security Notice Sign – IMPA 33.3139

Security Notice Sign – IMPA 33.3139 | ISSA 47.531.39 (ISPS0035)

This security notice sign alerts crew, contractors, visitors and port officials that they are entering an area where identification, screening or authorisation checks apply before further access is permitted. It is typically posted at the head of the gangway, at the ship’s accommodation ladder, or at the primary access point onto the wharf or terminal, where it is usually the first piece of signage anyone boarding the vessel or entering the facility will see.

Within Safety Sign Hub’s ISPA Signs range, this security notice sign is positioned as a general-purpose access-control sign rather than a hazard pictogram. Vessels and port facilities commonly fit it at the gangway watch station, at security office doors, at cargo control room entrances, and at perimeter gates leading into restricted terminal zones. Its operational role is to give practical, standing notice of the access requirements set out in the vessel’s Ship Security Plan (SSP) or the facility’s Port Facility Security Plan (PFSP), reinforcing the instructions given verbally by gangway watchkeepers and security personnel during routine boarding checks.

The sign is supplied as rigid marine-grade board or self-adhesive vinyl, built to withstand UV exposure, saltwater spray and the general wear of open-deck and wharfside conditions. A photoluminescent option is available where the security notice sign needs to remain legible under low-light or emergency lighting conditions.

Why Security Notices Matter

Under the ISPS Code, controlling who comes aboard and who enters a port facility is one of the most basic and most frequently tested elements of a security regime. Undocumented visitors, contractors who bypass the gangway watch, or port workers who wander past a control point without producing identification are the everyday failure modes that security audits and unannounced drills are designed to catch. A clearly worded security notice sign at the point of entry supports the gangway watch by setting expectations before anyone reaches the checkpoint, reducing the chance that a person claims they were unaware screening was required. It is a low-cost, always-on reinforcement of the access-control culture that the ISPS Code asks every ship and port facility to maintain.

Compliance and Certification

This security notice sign is produced with reference to the ISPS Code (International Ship and Port Facility Security Code, part of SOLAS Chapter XI-2) and is intended to support, not replace, the access-control procedures documented in the vessel’s Ship Security Plan or the facility’s Port Facility Security Plan. Placement and wording should be confirmed against the plan approved for the vessel or facility, in consultation with the Ship Security Officer (SSO), Company Security Officer (CSO) or Port Facility Security Officer (PFSO), following IMO guidance on maritime security signage. During ISPS audits, Port State Control officers and classification society surveyors routinely check that security notice signage at access points matches what is described in the approved Security Plan, so keeping signage current with the plan is worth attending to before an inspection.

Installation Recommendations

Mount this security notice sign at eye level, close enough to the gangway or access point that it is read before a person reaches the checkpoint, and keep it clear of ropes, fenders or equipment that could obscure it during cargo operations.

• Rigid marine board or self-adhesive vinyl construction for flexible mounting options
• UV- and saltwater-resistant materials suited to gangway and open-deck exposure
• Optional photoluminescent finish for visibility in low-light conditions
• Reproduces standard IMPA 33.3139 / ISSA 47.531.39 wording for consistent fleet-wide signage
• Sized for gangway, wharf gate and terminal access-point use

Order the ISPS0035 security notice sign from Safety Sign Hub’s ISPA Signs range to keep gangway and access-point signage aligned with your Security Plan, and pair it with our Mandatory Signs for identification and screening requirements at the same checkpoint.