When a natural disaster impacts the supply chain, access to critical data and systems is vital in protecting cargo and restoring operations quickly.

As critical links in the global supply chain, Georgia’s ports require robust security measures to protect freight fluidity, especially during extreme weather events like hurricanes.

The Georgia Ports Police Department has an innovative tool to continue key operations without disruption during major storms ensuring the Ports of Savannah and Brunswick re-open safely and efficiently.

The port’s Mobile Security Operations Center or MSOC is designed to deliver key security and communications systems needed during a storm, offsite — empowering Port Police to monitor Georgia Ports terminals from miles away.

This state-of-the-art unit provides versatile and effective solutions for maintaining surveillance, security and communications off-site during hurricanes or other disruptions.

“If a storm intensifies and our critical workforce will not be able to stay at the terminal, we can deploy offsite with Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA), the Salvation Army and other county entities and stay until it’s safe to re-enter the region,” shared Capt. Barry Dorsey of the Georgia Ports Police Department.

The MSOC is equipped with advanced technologies which can run remote operations of the terminal for up to 10 days — video monitoring, dispatching, employee and customer communications, and more, supported by the port’s IT and Maintenance departments onsite.

“This will allow us to continue our Port Police operations so we can conduct our terminal assessments ahead of time via CCTV,” Capt. Dorsey said.

“We’ll relay that information back to the leadership team along with our damage assessment teams which will give us a head start to quickly and safely recover and restore normal port operations,” he added.

Ahead of Tropical Storm Debby, the Georgia Ports team deployed the MSOC in a training exercise at Georgia Southern University in nearby Statesboro, Georgia about 50 miles from the Port of Savannah.

The mobile center’s durable construction of command center, conference rooms and comms systems are designed to withstand harsh weather conditions and continue operations self-sufficiently.

Equipped with satellite communication technology, the command center maintains a stable connection with port police and regional command centers, regardless of weather conditions that might disrupt traditional communication networks.

With real-time data, response times are significantly improved, allowing for quicker decision-making during an emergency.

“We can monitor the weather, the news, dispatching — any operations we conduct in our Port Security Operations Center, we can do here,” Capt. Dorsey said.

“This brings all of our teams together, so the Georgia Ports is prepared and ready for any kind of natural disaster,” he added.

The mobile center enhances the port’s resilience to hurricanes and other extreme weather events, ensuring continuity of operations and security to keep personnel safe and cargo moving.

The MSOC represents a significant advancement in port security — an essential component in safeguarding critical infrastructure and cargo.

Discover more about the Georgia Port’s industry-leading protective services collaboration at www.gaports.com/departments/protective-services/