Guidance to vessels operating in or near the strait of hormuz

Original warning text

PERSIAN GULF.
STRAIT OF HORMUZ.
GULF OF ADEN.
GUIDANCE TO VESSELS OPERATING IN OR NEAR THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ.
1. THIS ADVISORY SUPERSEDES MARAD ADVISORY 2013-01 AND UPDATES
   SPECIAL WARNING 114 TO REFLECT A RECENT INCREASE IN CHALLENGES
   INVOLVING COMMERCIAL SHIPS TRANSITING THE PERSIAN GULF
   AND STRAIT OF HORMUZ AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO MARINERS IN SUCH
   CIRCUMSTANCES. U.S. FLAG OPERATORS WITH SHIPS IN THE AFFECTED
   AREA ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD THIS ADVISORY TO THEIR SHIPS BY
   THE MOST EXPEDITIOUS MEANS.
2. MARAD ADVISORIES ARE PUBLISHED ON THE MARAD WEB SITE AT
   www.marad.dot.gov/news_room_landing_page/maritime_advisories/
   advisory_summary.htm AND ON THE MARITIME SAFETY INFORMATION
   WEB SITE AT msi.nga.mil/NGAPortal/MSI.portal. SELECT BROADCAST
   WARNINGS, SCROLL DOWN TO SEARCH BOX AND SELECT MARAD ADVISORIES.
3. BACKGROUND:
   A. AT APPROXIMATELY 0905Z ON 28 APRIL, WHILE TRANSITING THE
      STRAIT OF HORMUZ IN THE INTERNATIONAL TRAFFIC SEPARATION
      SCHEME IN THE VICINITY OF 26-39.43N 056-15.0E,
      M/V MAERSK TIGRIS WAS APPROACHED BY FIVE SMALL IRANIAN
      PATROL BOATS, HAILED OVER VHF RADIO, AND CONTACTED VIA
      SATELLITE TELEPHONE. THE MASTER DID NOT INITIALLY COMPLY
      WITH THE HAILS OR THE DIRECTION OF THE IRANIAN VESSELS.
      SUBSEQUENTLY, THE IRANIAN VESSELS FIRED THREE WARNING
      SHOTS ACROSS THE BOW OF M/V MAERSK TIGRIS. THE MASTER
      COMPLIED WITH IRANIAN DIRECTION AND PROCEEDED TO A
      POSITION TWO NM EAST OF JUZIRH-YE LARAK, WHERE THE
      M/V MAERSK TIGRIS WAS BOARDED BY IRANIAN PERSONNEL.
   B. AT APPROXIMATELY 0655Z ON 24 APRIL, WHILE TRANSITING IN
      THE VICINITY OF 25-42N 055-16E, APPROXIMATELY 17 NM OFF
      THE COAST OF UAE AND 15 NM OFF THE COAST OF ABU MUSA ISLAND.
      M/V MAERSK KENSINGTON WAS APPROACHED BY FOUR IRANIAN PATROL
      BOATS AND HAILED OVER VHF RADIO. THE MASTER DID NOT RESPOND
      TO THE HAILS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE IRANIAN VESSELS MANEUVERED
      AROUND M/V MAERSK KENSINGTON AND TOOK A POSITION ASTERN OF
      THE SHIP. AT APPROXIMATELY 0720Z, ALL IRANIAN VESSELS BROKE
      PURSUIT.
4. WHETHER THESE ARE ISOLATED INCIDENTS IS NOT KNOWN. U.S. MERCHANT
   VESSELS AND MARITIME INTERESTS OPERATING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
   INTERNATIONAL LAW OF THE SEA IN THE WATERS OF THE PERSIAN GULF,
   STRAIT OF HORMUZ AND GULF OF OMAN ARE ADVISED TO TAKE THE
   FOLLOWING ACTIONS WHEN TRANSITING THE AREA:
   A. IF A U.S. FLAG VESSEL ENGAGED IN TRANSIT THROUGH THE STRAIT
      OF HORMUZ OR ITS APPROACHES IS HAILED BY IRANIAN FORCES, IT
      SHOULD PROVIDE ITS VESSEL NAME AND AFFIRM THAT IT IS EXERCISING
      THE RIGHT OF TRANSIT PASSAGE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
      INTERNATIONAL LAW OF THE SEA.
   B. IF BOARDING OF A U.S. FLAG VESSEL ENGAGED IN TRANSIT THROUGH
      THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ OR ITS APPROACHES IS REQUESTED BY IRANIAN
      FORCES, THE SHIP'S MASTER SHOULD, IF THE SAFETY OF THE SHIP
      AND CREW WOULD NOT BE COMPROMISED, DECLINE PERMISSION TO BOARD
      BY NOTING THAT THE VESSEL IS IN TRANSIT PASSAGE AND NOT SUBJECT
      TO COASTAL STATE ENFORCEMENT JURISDICTION.
   C. IF A BOARDING BY IRANIAN FORCES OCCURS EVEN AFTER DECLINING
      PERMISSION, THE BOARDING SHOULD NOT BE FORCIBLY RESISTED BY
      PERSONS ON THE U.S. FLAG MERCHANT VESSEL. REFRAINING FROM
      FORCIBLE RESISTANCE IN NO WAY INDICATES CONSENT OR AGREEMENT
      THAT SUCH A BOARDING IS LAWFUL.
   D. U.S. FLAG VESSELS ARE ADVISED TO REPORT SUCH INCIDENTS
      IMMEDIATELY TO COALITION NAVAL VESSELS ON VHF CHANNEL 16,
      VIA E-MAIL TO CUSNC.BWC@ME.NAVY.MIL AND BY
      PHONE TO 973 1785 3879.
   E. U.S. FLAG VESSELS ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SUCH ACTIVITY
      TO THE MARITIME ADMINISTRATION AT OPCENTR1@DOT.GOV.
5. ALL VESSELS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT COALITION NAVAL FORCES MAY
   CONDUCT MARITIME AWARENESS CALLS, QUERIES AND APPROACHES IN
   ORDER TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF VESSELS TRANSITING THE PERSIAN GULF,
   STRAIT OF HORMUZ AND GULF OF OMAN. U.S. FLAG VESSELS APPROACHING
   COALITION NAVAL FORCES ARE ADVISED TO MAINTAIN RADIO CONTACT
   ON VHF CHANNEL 16.
6. U.S. FLAG VESSELS BOUND FOR THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ IN EITHER
   DIRECTION ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT THE U.S. NAVY 5TH FLEET
   NAVAL COOPERATION AND GUIDANCE FOR SHIPPING WATCH
   AT 973 1785 3695 OR AT CUSNC.NCAGS_BW@ME.NAVY.MIL
   AT LEAST TWO DAYS PRIOR TO AN ANTICIPATED TRANSIT.
7. THIS ADVISORY IS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AND WILL REMAIN IN
   EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
8. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ADVISORY, CONTACT
   CAMERON NARON, MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, DIRECTOR OF SECURITY,
   CODE: MAR-420, ROOM W28-340, 1200 NEW JERSEY AVE, S.E.,
   WASHINGTON, DC 20590, PHONE: 202 366 1883, FAX: 202 366 3954,
   TELEX II: 710 822 9426 (MARAD DOT WSH),
   OR E-MAIL: MARADSECURITY@DOT.GOV.
9. CANCEL MARAD ADVISORY 2013-01.