Proceedings Of The Marine

SPR 2012

Proceedings magazine is a communication tool for the Coast Guard's Marine Safety & Security Council. Each quarterly magazine focuses on a specific theme of interest to the marine industry.

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Consequently, the MSC adopted a resolution that recognizes the urgent need for merchant shipping to take every possible measure to protect itself from a pirate attack and that effective self-protection is the best defence. The resolution strongly urges all those concerned to take action to ensure that, as a mini- mum, ships' masters receive updated information when sailing through high-risk areas, ships register with the Maritime Security Centre–Horn of Africa and report to United Kingdom Maritime Trade Oper- ations in Dubai, and effectively implement all recom- mended preventive, evasive, and defensive measures. The International Maritime Organization recognizes that there is an increase in the use of privately con- tracted armed security personnel. Therefore, the organization approved interim recommendations and guidance on the use of armed security personnel aboard ships. However, it is important to note that this guidance does not change IMO's position on the use of armed personnel: Seafarers should not be armed, and carriage of armed personnel remains a decision IRU WKH VKLS RZQHU WR UHTXHVW DQG WKH ÁDJ VWDWH WR decide. Flag states should have a policy in place on whether armed security personnel are authorized and under what conditions. Furthermore, armed per- sonnel should not be considered an alternative to the self-protective measures detailed in the best manage- ment practices and other IMO guidance. The International Maritime Organization encourages ÁDJ VWDWHV WR XWLOL]H WKH ,02 ,QIRUPDWLRQ 'LVWULEX- WLRQ )DFLOLW\ WR SURYLGH ORQJ UDQJH LGHQWLÀFDWLRQ DQG tracking (LRIT) information to security forces oper- ating in the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean. Giving the naval forces a clear indication of where the merchant vessels are allows them to iden- tify and contact those who have not registered with the Maritime Security Centre–Horn of Africa, and to pass on warnings of pirate activity so the merchant vessels can take early action to avoid trouble. Regional Cooperation The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against ships in Asia is a good example of successful regional cooperation, which includes an information-sharing center to communicate piracy-related information. Addition- ally, the International Maritime Organization has established similar information-sharing centers in Yemen, Kenya, and the United Republic of Tanzania. IMO is also establishing a regional training center in Djibouti. www.uscg.mil/proceedings IMO Piracy Statistics The Bad News: More Attacks There were 489 acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships reported to IMO in 2010. This increase of 20.4 percent from 2009 figures is largely due to an escalation of acts of Somalia-related piracy. The use of motherships has enabled pirates to extend their reach, and the range of attacks—which are reportedly becoming increasingly violent—now stretches to more than 1,750 nautical miles from the shore bases of the pirates. The Good News: Fewer Attacks are Successful Figures for the first half of 2011 (187 attacks leading to 22 hijacks) indicate that 88 percent of attacks were defeated, a positive increase from previous years, where attacks were thwarted in only 40 to 50 percent of cases. This is largely due to deterrent effect of a naval presence and to merchant ships properly using best management practices and other self-protection measures. 7KH 8QLWHG 1DWLRQV 2IÀFH RQ 'UXJV DQG &ULPH; KDV partnered with IMO to help regional states develop the legal framework necessary to prosecute pirates. The IMO is also working with the international com- munity, member states, the Maritime Organization of West Africa (MOWCA), and others to address the dra- matic spike in the number of reported attacks in the Gulf of Guinea in 2011. These attacks are growing in QXPEHU DQG LQ YLROHQFH DQG SRVH D VLJQLÀFDQW ULVN WR 7KH YDVW VHD DUHD LQ ZKLFK SLUDWHV RSHUDWH PDNHV LW GLI¿FXOW WR SDWURO and monitor effectively. Photos courtesy of the European Union Naval Force. Spring 2012 Proceedings 13

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