The port of Hamburg used to be a vibrant part of the northern German city and a magnet for tourism. Everyone could visit the port to watch the ships roll in and dockers at work.

Germany's largest port is known as the country's "gateway to the world." However, this has fundamentally changed. Entire areas are now cordoned off, with visitors facing fences or closed gates.

Since September 11, 2001, when terrorists attacked the US claiming thousands of lives, shipping infrastructure has been considered security-sensitive because it too is vulnerable to terrorism.

Moreover, illicit activities such as drug smuggling, illegal import and export of weapons, and human trafficking now pose challenges not only to customs officials but to all state security actors.

Internationally, this was addressed with the introduction of the ISPS Code (International Ship and Port Facility Security Code) negotiated in 2002 under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The code came into effect in Europe in........

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