Prior to September 11, 2001, maritime security, while being considered as a necessary element of the management of the maritime community, was a relatively small priority in actual application. Historically, the two major exceptions to this statement were the two World Wars, where port security and vessel protection were major concerns because of the substantial role the maritime community had in prosecuting the war effort. However, the terrorist attacks in 2001 altered the maritime security culture in the country by making maritime security a part of the normal operating environment. Among the first laws applied to maritime security was the
Espionage Act of 1917. This was a broad brush law that extended far beyond the maritime realm to encompass any and all acts of sedition against the United States, and came at the height of World War I. Also during World War I, the U. S. Coast Guard first designated officers as Captains of the Port. Most were senior officers who oversaw the loading of cargoes, particularly dangerous ones such as munitions. Over time and with the threats and actual attacks of World War II and the Cold War environment, maritime security became better defined. Much of the increased responsibility for maritime security and clarification of roles resided in the Coast Guard's Captains of the Port. The Safety of Naval Vessels Act of 1941 authorized them to control the anchorage and movement of any vessel in the navigable waters of the United States to ensure the safety and security of any U. S. naval vessel. The Magnuson Act and Executive Order 10173 provided broad power to order vessel movements, place guards on vessels and even take possession of those vessels in United States internal and territorial waters. This Act authorized the Coast Guard to conduct duties it had carried out during both World Wars to ensure the security of U.S. ports "from subversive or clandestine attacks". Other laws over the next fifty years further refined and broadened the authorities of the Captain of the Port to include routine port and shipping controls and management, and pollution response. In many cases, these acts were modified over time to address security concerns. As an example, the Port and Tanker Safety Act of 1978, which later became known as the Ports and Waterways Safety Act, was enacted to improve the navigation and vessel safety and protection of the marine environment brought about by increased commercial traffic and poorly maintained tankships. It authorized increased inspections of vessels and required compliance with enhanced safety standards coming into effect at that time. It also contained language that addressed planning and protective measures for the nation's ports, waterways and marine environment. In 1986, additional language through amendments were implemented in the Omnibus Diplomatic Security and Anti-Terrorism Act of 1986, which authorized the Coast Guard to carry out or require measures, including "the establishment of security and safety zones...to prevent or respond to acts of terrorism" against a person, vessel, or structure that is 1)subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and located within or adjacent to the marine environment or 2) a vessel of the United States or an individual on board that vessel. It also authorized the Coast Guard to recruit and train regular and reserve members in the techniques of preventing and responding to acts of terrorism. Not by coincidence, the hijacking of the passenger ship ACHILLE LAURO had occurred the previous year. Concerns for maritime terrorism rose and fell rather quickly. and that threats to the United States ports and vessel traffic were reasonably inconsequential. ==See also==