The Ship Security Plan contains sensitive security-related communications and shall be protected from unauthorized access. While the plan is not normally subject to inspection, officers authorized by the government may access limited sections of the plan with consent if they have clear grounds to believe the ship is not in compliance with security requirements and need to verify or rectify the issue. Any access is still exceptional and requires consent of either the ship's government or master.

1. Security related
communications

2. • Ship Security Plan (SSP) shall be
protected from unauthorized access or
disclosure
• SSP are not subject to inspection by
officers duly authorized by a
Contracting Government to carry out
control and compliance measures in
accordance with regulation XI-2/9, save
in circumstances specified in section
9.8.1

3. ISPS Code part-A section 9.8.1
If the officers duly authorized by a Contracting
Government have clear grounds to believe
that the ship is not in compliance with the
requirements or chapter XI-2 or part A of
ISPS Code, and the only means to verify or
rectify the non-compliance is to review the
relevant requirements of the ship security
plan, limited access to the specific sections of
the plan relating to the non-compliance is
exceptionally allowed, but only with the
consent of the Contracting Government of, or
the master of, the ship concerned.