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Sharon Harris

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Aug 3, 2024, 3:56:13 PM8/3/24

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In case of emergency, Members and Correspondents are encouraged to contact the Claims Team direct whenever possible.

A duty officer (by rota) is contactable on mobile phone number +44 7795 116602 to deal with any urgent matters if Members or Correspondents are unable to contact the appropriate Claims Team.

Over past years, global locations where Maritime piracy has been prevalent have significantly evolved. Previously, the main areas of pirate activity were centred around the Indian Ocean/Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden and Red Sea. However, with the implementation of the Maritime Security Transit Corridor in the (Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea) which is patrolled by the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), piracy in the region has significantly decreased.

In November 2019, a US-led coalition created to secure shipping lanes in the Middle East was formally launched. The International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) was launched in response to a series of attacks on vessels and onshore facilities that some coalition members blamed on Iran. The presence of the IMSC (formerly known as Operation Sentinel) further strengthens security and stability throughout the region protecting ships that transit the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations (UKMTO) is operated by the Royal Navy principally with the purpose of providing an information conduit between military which (includes/security forces) and the wider international maritime trade operating in the following High-Risk Areas (HRA):

The VRA program is aimed to enhance the security of merchant vessels. Masters, Company Security Officers (CSOs) and Companies are encouraged to send regular reports, providing their position, course, speed and ETA at their next port whilst in transit. In the event of an incident, the UKMTO is able to inform the relevant regional authorities and warn vessels in the near vicinity of the incident.

The IMB Piracy Reporting Centre (IMB PRC) IMB Piracy Reporting Centre (IMB PRC) follows the definition of Piracy as laid down in Article 101 of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and Armed Robbery as laid down in Resolution A.1025 (26) adopted on 2 December 2009 at the 26th Assembly Session of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

Established in 1992, IMB PRC offers a 24-hour and free service for shipmasters to report any piracy, armed robbery or stowaway incidents. Full contact details can be found on ICC-IMB Piracy Reporting Centre Website/Report an Incident.

The Maritime Global Security Website provides a wealth of information and links, with sections on Piracy, Cyber Security, Migration, Stowaways, Smuggling, Armed conflict and war. It has sections on specific geographic regions: Gulf of Guinea; South East Asia; Mediterranean; Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Somali Basin, Arabian Sea. The website is maintained as a collaborative effort by some of the main shipping industry associations, these include:

Documents such as BMP5, BMP WA, Global Counter Piracy Guidance for Companies, Masters and Seafarers, a number of IMO circulars and guidelines and OCIMF Guidelines to Harden Vessels (First edition 2018). Use the filter to choose risk or geographic location.

The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) is the first regional government-to-government agreement to promote and enhance cooperation against piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia.

The ReCAAP Agreement was launched in November 2006 and with14 Asian Contracting Parties including North, Southeast, and South Asian countries. It has 20 Contracting Parties today, including Europe (Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the United Kingdom), Australia, and the United States.

Thanks to the efforts of various nations and inter-governmental organisations, the deployment of naval vessels and surveillance aircraft has acted as a deterrent to piracy, particularly in the Red Sea. However, incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, South East Asia and most recently the Gulf of Mexico are increasing. There is also a growing trend of kidnapping of crew members for ransom.

When selecting a Private Maritime Security Company (PMSC), owners must carry out due diligence checks on the company, including asking for disclosure of their licenses to operate as an armed security provider and for the weapons they intend using. These licenses should include not only the corporate license but any licenses or permits issued by coastal states in whose territorial waters the guards may embark or disembark. There should also be a license for the actual weapons being used, showing the individual weapon number against which the Master can physically check when the guards board the vessel. This is vital, since it is reported that certain PMSC are illegally hiring or loaning weapons which is a breach of the weapons licensing and their own operating license.

Owners should only contract on the BIMCO GUARDCON form or the amended GUARDCON contract where the PMSC is acting as an intermediary for the employment of local security personnel within territorial waters.

The GUARDCON contract should be signed on behalf of the actual owners of the vessel even if the fees are being paid by charterers - it is essential that there is a direct contractual relationship between the owners and the PMSC as the owners are legally responsible for the presence of the guards on their vessel. If the PMSC has been selected by charterers this does not relieve owners of their responsibility to satisfy their due diligence obligations on the suitability and legality of the PMSC.

BIMCO have therefore developed GUARDCON for the employment of guards in the waters off East Africa with a view to this becoming the industry standard. However, as BIMCO does not consider that GUARDCON is an appropriate contract for the employment of guards on board ships in the Gulf of Guinea, the International Group has produced an amended version of GUARDCON called GUARDCON West Africa .

Distances Between Ports (Pub. 151)The Distances Between Ports (NGA Pub. 151) publication contains tabulated distances between departure ports, junction points, and arrival ports worldwide, organized alphabetically
International Code of Signals (Pub. 102)The International Code of Signals (NGA Pub. 102) publication contains descriptions and graphic depictions of a specific vocabulary of signals and the various methods used to transmit them.
NGA List of LightsWorldwide coverage, 7 volumes. The List of Lights, Radio Aids and Fog Signals is published in seven volumes, as Publication numbers 110 through 116. Each volume contains lights and other aids to navigation that are maintained by or under the authority of foreign governments. With radiobeacons and differential GPS stations.
- Radar Navigation and Maneuvering Board Manual (Pub. 1310)The Radar Navigation and Maneuvering Board Manual (NGA Pub. 1310) contains, in a single volume, information on the fundamentals of shipboard radar, radar operation, collision avoidance, navigation by radar, and a description of vessel traffic systems in US waters.
- Radio Navigational Aids (Pub. 117)Worldwide coverage. The Radio Navigational Aids (NGA Pub. 117) publication contains a detailed list of selected worldwide radio stations that provide services to the navigator. The publication is divided into chapters according to the nature of the service provided. Services include RDF and Radar stations; stations broadcasting Navigational Warnings, time signals or medical advice; communication traffic for distress, emergency and safety, including GMDSS; and long range navigational aids.
- Sailing Directions EnrouteWorldwide coverage, 42 volumes. Sailing Directions (Enroute) include detailed coastal and port approach information, supplementing the largest scale chart of the area. Each publication is subdivided into geographic regions, called sectors, which contain information about the coastal weather, currents, ice, dangers, features and ports, as well as a graphic key to the charts available for the area.
- Sailing Directions Planning GuidesWorldwide coverage, 5 volumes. Sailing Directions (Planning Guides) include relevant physical, political, industrial, navigational and regulatory information about the countries adjacent to a particular ocean basin in a single volume.
  - Sailing Directions Planning Guide (Pub. 140)North Atlantic Ocean and Adjacent Seas
  - Worldwide...
- Sight Reduction Tables for Air Navigation (HO-249) The Sight Reduction Tables for Air Navigation (HO249) are published in three separate Volumes. Volume I of Pub 249 used by both the marine and air navigator, contains altitude (to the nearest minutes) and true azimuth values of seven selected stars for the complete ranges of latitude and hour angle of Aries. These seven stars represent the best selection for observation at any given position and time, and provide the data for presetting instruments before observation and for sight reduction afterwards. Volumes II and III cover latitudes 0-40 and 39-89 respectively and are primarily used by the air navigator in conjunction with observations of celestial bodies to calculate the geographic position of the observer.
  - HO-249 - Volume 1: Selected stars
  - HO-249 - Volume 2: Celestial bodies, latitudes 0-40
  - HO-249 - Volume 3: Celestial bodies, latitudes 39-89