Authorities from the armed forces and government of Colombia participated in a session of the first National Committee for Maritime Safety and Security, a strategic space led by the General Maritime Directorate (Dimar) which seeks to advance the implementation of the National System for Maritime Safety and Security, an initiative created to strengthen the comprehensive protection of the country’s ports, ships, terminals and maritime installations.
“This is a huge step we are taking. Here we are building together something that benefits and deserves our country, which we serve and which will serve those generations that will sail the safe route we leave them today,” expressed the Minister of National Defense, Pedro Arnulfo Sánchez.
Likewise, the authority stated that the presented work plan marks a roadmap to achieve better port security, because “ports must be for legal, not illegal, activities.”
The Committee was born as a result of the enactment and issuance of Decree 1086 of October 2025, a regulation through which the institutional and operational framework for maritime security in Colombia is strengthened. Seventeen national entities and authorities with influence over maritime and port issues related to international maritime trade participate in this space, consolidating a coordinated exercise between military and civilian authorities and strategic actors in the sector.
For its part, the General Maritime Directorate highlighted that “the implementation of this strategy will allow strengthening national capabilities in maritime security, increasing levels of inter-institutional coordination and advancing towards a modern, preventive system aligned with international standards for the country’s maritime and port security.”
During the session, the main components of the national strategy for implementing the system were shared, focused on minimizing risks arising from maritime activities through joint management between authorities and sector guilds. The initiative contemplates three major action fronts: safe maritime activities, protection of the marine environment, and protection of ships, ports and crews.
Also presented at the Committee were the main threats currently impacting maritime security in Colombia, including drug trafficking, smuggling, illegal trafficking of persons, irregular migration, terrorism, cyberattacks and corruption, as well as internal risks associated with sabotage, theft, intrusions and improper handling of cargo in port facilities.
In response, the Commander of the Colombian Navy, Admiral Juan Ricardo Rozo Obregón, drew attention to the importance of integrating ports into the country’s development, stating that “for a port to be competitive it must be secure. If it is not secure, the port is not competitive.”
Tenemos que avanzar en la construcción del país marítimo que necesitamos, si queremos ser competitivos ante el mundo, y la manera de lograrlo es garantizando la seguridad como instituciones responsables de la seguridad en cada uno de los puertos”.
Asimismo, se destacó que el Comité Nacional de Seguridad y Protección Marítima tiene como propósito establecer estrategias, protocolos de intercambio de información y planes de acción técnica que permitan prevenir, contener y responder de manera articulada a las distintas amenazas que puedan materializarse en los terminales marítimos y portuarios del país. A partir de este trabajo surgirán mesas técnicas interinstitucionales y comités locales orientados a implementar estas medidas en los diferentes puertos colombianos.
La estrategia contempla además el fortalecimiento del marco jurídico y sancionatorio, así como la modernización tecnológica e interoperabilidad de los sistemas de información entre entidades del Estado, permitiendo mejorar los procesos de vigilancia, control y coordinación operativa en zonas portuarias y marítimas del territorio nacional.
