This marad advisory updates and supersedes marad advisory 2009-1 which is hereby cancelled

Original warning text

1. THIS MARAD ADVISORY UPDATES AND SUPERSEDES MARAD ADVISORY
   2009-1 WHICH IS HEREBY CANCELLED.
2. SINCE AUG 08 THE NUMBER OF PIRATE ATTACKS ON MERCHANT
   SHIPS THROUGHOUT THE GULF OF ADEN (GOA) AND OFF THE EAST
   COAST OF AFRICA, PARTICULARLY SOMALIA, HAS INCREASED
   SIGNIFICANTLY. THE MAJORITY OF THE PIRATE ATTACKS ARE
   CLUSTERED ALONG THE SHIPPING LANES IN THE GOA BUT MORE
   RECENTLY IN 2009, THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER
   OF ATTACKS WELL TO THE EAST OF THE HORN OF AFRICA INCLUDING
   ATTACKS 500 MILES OR MORE OFF THE COAST. IT IS CLEAR THAT
   ANY VESSEL TRAVELING BETWEEN THE SEYCHELLES AND THE EAST
   COAST OF AFRICA IS SUBJECT TO AS MUCH OF A THREAT AS A
   VESSEL TRAVELING THROUGH THE GOA AND SHOULD TAKE AS MUCH
   CARE IN PLANNING AND PREPARING FOR POTENTIAL ATTACKS.
   VIGILANCE SHOULD BE HIGHEST AT FIRST LIGHT AND LAST LIGHT
   AS THE MAJORITY OF ATTACKS OCCUR DURING THESE PERIODS.
   ATTACKS HOWEVER, HAVE TAKEN PLACE AT ALL TIMES OF THE DAY
   AND MORE RECENTLY DURING NIGHT HOURS, PARTICULARLY WITH
   MOONLIGHT; THEREFORE VIGILANCE MUST BE MAINTAINED AT ALL
   TIMES. ANALYSIS OF SUCCESSFUL ATTACKS CONTINUES TO
   INDICATE THAT THE FOLLOWING COMMON VULNERABILITIES ARE
   EXPLOITED BY THE PIRATES: LOW SPEED, LOW FREEBOARD,
   INADEQUATE PLANNING AND PROCEDURES, VISIBLY LOW STATE OF
   ALERT AND/OR EVIDENT SELF PROTECTIVE MEASURES AND WHERE A
   SLOW RESPONSE BY THE SHIP IS EVIDENT.
3. ON 22 AUG 08, COMBINED MARITIME FORCES (CMF) DIRECTED THE
   ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MARITIME SECURITY PATROL AREA (MSPA)
   IN THE GOA. THE MSPA WAS ESTABLISHED IN SUPPORT OF THE
   INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION'S (IMO) ONGOING EFFORTS
   TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF SHIPS AND MARINERS AT SEA. THE MSPA
   IS A NAVAL MILITARY TERM FOR USE BY WARSHIPS WHEN
   COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER AND IS A GEOGRAPHIC REGION
   IN THE GOA UTILIZED BY CMF AND POSITIONED TO MAXIMIZE
   DEPLOYMENT OF AVAILABLE FORCES IN AREAS OF HIGH RISK.
   COALITION FORCES PATROL THE MSPA ON A ROUTINE BASIS. THE
   MSPA IS NOT MARKED OR DEFINED BY VISUAL NAVIGATIONAL MEANS.
4. ON 01 FEB 09, CMF IN COOPERATION WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION
   NAVAL FORCE (EUNAVFOR) ATALANTA AND THE UNITED KINGDOM
   MARITIME TRADE ORGANIZATION (UKMTO) ACTIVATED THE
   INTERNATIONALLY RECOMMENDED TRANSIT CORRIDOR (IRTC)
   THROUGH THE GOA. THIS REVISED CORRIDOR WAS INTENDED TO
   REDUCE THE RISK OF COLLISION BETWEEN VESSELS UTILIZING
   THE PREVIOUS CORRIDOR, PROVIDE A MEASURE OF TRAFFIC
   SEPARATION, AND ALLOW MARITIME FORCES TO CONDUCT DETERRENT
   OPERATIONS IN THE GOA WITH A GREATER DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY.
5. THE IRTC INCLUDES SEPARATE EAST BOUND AND WEST BOUND TRANSIT
   LANES. EACH LANE IS FIVE MILES WIDE, SEPARATED BY A TWO MILE
   BUFFER ZONE. THE EAST BOUND LANE BEGINS AT 045 EAST BETWEEN
   11-48N AND 11-53N. THE LANE IS ORIENTED ALONG A STRAIGHT
   LINE COURSE OF 072 DEGREES AND TERMINATES AT 053 DEGREES
   EAST BETWEEN 14-18N AND 14-23N. THE WEST BOUND LANE BEGINS
   AT 053 DEGREES EAST BETWEEN 14-25N AND 14-30N. THE LANE IS
   ORIENTED ALONG A COURSE OF 252 AND TERMINATES AT 045 DEGREES
   EAST BETWEEN 11-55N AND 12-00N. THE IRTC IS NOT MARKED OR
   DEFINED BY VISUAL NAVIGATIONAL MEANS, NOR IS IT INTENDED TO
   BE A DEDICATED TRAFFIC SEPARATION SCHEME BUT IN ORDER FOR
   WARSHIP PATROLS TO BE EFFECTIVE, VESSELS TRANSITING THE
   GOA ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED TO ADHERE TO THESE GUIDELINES
   REGARDING USE OF THE IRTC.
6. THE MSPA SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH THE GOA IRTC. THE IRTC
   IS THE RECOMMENDED PATH THROUGH THE GOA TO ALLOW MINIMAL
   RESPONSE TIME TO ATTACKS. MSPA PATROLS ARE INTENDED TO
   MONITOR ACTIVITY BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE IRTC.
7. CMF, IN COOPERATION WITH FORCES FROM NATO, THE EUROPEAN
   UNION (EU), CHINA, INDIA, MALAYSIA, RUSSIA, JAPAN, KOREA
   AND INDONESIA CONTINUE TO PATROL IN THE MSPA AND HAVE HAD
   SOME SUCCESS IN DETERRING ATTACKS ON MERCHANT SHIPPING. A
   FAR GREATER NUMBER OF ATTACKS HAVE BEEN THWARTED THROUGH
   DEFENSIVE AND PROTECTIVE MEASURES TAKEN BY COMMERCIAL AND
   CIVILIAN SHIPS PRIOR TO ENTERING AND DURING TRANSIT THROUGH
   THE AREA. DESPITE THE INCREASE IN PRESENCE AND EFFECTIVENESS
   OF NAVAL FORCES IN THE REGION, AS WELL AS THE EFFECTIVENESS
   OF DEFENSIVE AND PROTECTIVE MEASURES, PIRATE ACTIVITY HAS
   CONTINUED AND A NUMBER OF COMMERCIAL AND CIVILIAN SHIPS HAVE
   BEEN SUCCESSFULLY ATTACKED AND SEIZED. THERE ARE INDICATIONS
   THAT PIRATES IN THE AREA CONTINUE TO ADAPT THEIR TECHNIQUES
   AND PROCEDURES IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN CAPTURING
   VESSELS, BOTH IN THE GOA AS WELL AS IN THE OPEN OCEAN OFF
   THE EAST COAST OF AFRICA, PARTICULARLY IN THE INCREASED
   DISTANCES THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO OPERATE EFFECTIVELY OFF
   THE EAST COAST OF SOMALIA POTENTIALLY UTILIZING MOTHER SHIPS.
   NAVAL VESSELS PATROLLING THE MSPA PROVIDE A MEASURE OF
   DETERRENCE THROUGH THEIR PRESENCE, BUT THIS IS LIMITED DUE
   TO THE VAST AREA OF THE GOA AND EVEN LESS EFFECTIVE IN THE
   OPEN WATERS EAST OF SOMALIA. GIVEN THE HIGH VOLUME OF
   SHIPPING IN THE REGION, THE SAFETY OF ALL SHIPS CANNOT BE
   GUARANTEED DUE TO THE OFTEN LONG RESPONSE TIMES DUE TO THE
   CONSIDERABLE DISTANCES INVOLVED. MASTERS ARE THEREFORE
   RECOMMENDED TO CONTINUE TO EMPLOY ALL AVAILABLE DEFENSIVE
   MEASURES TO MAKE THEIR VESSELS LESS VULNERABLE TO ATTACK
   WHEN OPERATING IN THE GOA AND OFF THE EAST COAST OF AFRICA.
8. IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT INCREASED THREAT TO VESSELS TRANSITING
   OFF THE EAST COAST OF AFRICA, ADVICE TO MASTERS IS THAT
   UNLESS THEY SPECIFICALLY HAVE BUSINESS TO CONDUCT ON THE
   EAST COAST OF AFRICA THEY ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO REMAIN
   EAST OF 60E AND AT LEAST 600 MILES OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA
   BUT EVEN AT THAT RANGE THEY SHOULD TAKE ALL NECESSARY
   PRECAUTIONS TO AVOID, DETER AND DELAY POTENTIAL PIRATE ATTACKS.
9. DUE TO THE PIRATES INCREASED RESOLVE AND ADAPTABILITY,
   ADDITIONAL PRECAUTIONS AND RISK ASSESSMENTS ARE ENCOURAGED.
   VESSELS SUCH AS PASSENGER LINERS, LUXURY YACHTS, PLEASURE
   CRAFT, SAILBOATS AND SHIPS CARRYING DANGEROUS CARGO OR
   OTHERWISE DEEMED TO BE HIGH VALUE ASSETS SHOULD CONDUCT A
   FULL RISK ASSESSMENT PRIOR TO PLANNING TRANSITS THROUGH
   HIGH-RISK AREAS, ESPECIALLY IN CASES WHERE SPEED AND
   MANEUVERABILITY LIMITATIONS AND LOW FREEBOARD MAKE A SHIP
   PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE. IN CONDUCTING SUCH AN ASSESSMENT,
   OWNERS AND MASTERS OF SUCH VESSELS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR
   POSSIBLE ATTACK AND BE PREPARED TO EMPLOY MEASURES TO ENSURE
   THE MAXIMUM POSSIBLE DEFENSE. ALL PASSENGERS AND CREW SHOULD
   FULLY UNDERSTAND THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH TRANSITING THESE
   AREAS AND BE FULLY BRIEFED ON THE PROCEDURES REQUIRED TO
   PROTECT THEMSELVES IN THE EVENT OF AN ATTACK. MASTERS SHOULD
   REMAIN IN CONTACT WITH THE UKMTO AND THE UNITED STATES
   MARITIME LIAISON OFFICE (MARLO) TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE.
   MASTERS ARE REQUESTED TO PROVIDE THE DETAILS OF THEIR TRANSIT,
   AS WELL AS THE TYPE, NATURE AND NUMBER/QUANTITY OF PASSENGERS
   AND CARGO AT LEAST 96 HOURS PRIOR TO ENTERING HIGH RISK AREAS.
   THE EU, IN COOPERATION WITH LLOYDS REGISTRY, HAS ESTABLISHED
   A WEB-BASED RESOURCE FOR SHIPS TO RECEIVE THE LATEST ALERTS,
   AND REGISTER THEIR VESSELS PRIOR TO TRANSITING HIGH RISK
   AREAS IN THE REGION. OWNERS AND OPERATORS ARE ENCOURAGED TO
   REGISTER WITH THE MARITIME SECURITY CENTRE - HORN OF AFRICA
   (MSC-HOA), AT WWW.MSCHOA.ORG.
10. THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR ALL VESSELS:
    A. DEMONSTRATE A WILLINGNESS TO DEFEND YOURSELF. DO NOT
       PRESENT AN ATTRACTIVE TARGET FOR ATTACK AND DO NOT
       SURRENDER IMMEDIATELY AT THE FIRST SIGN OF A THREAT.
    B. EMPLOY SPEED AND MANEUVER TO AVOID ATTACK. CONDUCT TRANSIT
       OF HIGH THREAT AREAS AT MAXIMUM SUSTAINABLE SPEED AT ALL
       TIMES. MAINTAIN A FULL VISUAL AND RADAR WATCH THROUGHOUT
       TRANSIT. PROVIDE EXTRA LOOKOUTS IF POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY
       DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. LOOKOUTS SHOULD BE POSITIONED TO
       ENSURE A 360 DEGREE UNOBSTRUCTED FIELD OF VIEW WITH FULL
       VIEW OF ALL FREEBOARD AREAS. AVOID TRANSITING NEAR SMALL
       BOATS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. DUE TO THE SHEER NUMBER OF SMALL
       BOATS IN THE REGION, MOST OF WHICH ARE FISHING BOATS IT
       MAY BE DIFFICULT TO DISTINGUISH FROM PIRATE VESSELS.
       TRANSITING NEAR SMALL BOATS MAY BE UNAVOIDABLE AT TIMES.
       ACTIVELY WATCH FOR DEVELOPING RULES OF THE ROAD SITUATIONS
       AND TAKE EARLY ACTION TO INCREASE CPAS. AFT LOOKOUTS MUST
       BE PARTICULARLY VIGILANT FOR SMALL BOATS APPROACHING FROM
       ASTERN. MANEUVER AGGRESSIVELY IF UNDER ATTACK. MANEUVER
       TO REMOVE ANY LEE FROM EITHER SIDE OF SHIP
       (SEA STATE DEPENDENT). IF ENGINEERING OR OTHER TECHNICAL
       PROBLEMS CAUSE REDUCED SPEED, IMMEDIATELY ACTIVATE
       DEFENSIVE MEASURES TO REDUCE VULNERABILITY.
    C. ADOPT PASSIVE DEFENSE MEASURES. TAKE ALL PRECAUTIONS
       DETAILED FOR SPEED AND MANEUVER. TAKE DEFENSIVE PRECAUTIONS
       PRIOR TO ENTERING HIGH THREAT AREAS, INCLUDING RIGGING FIRE
       HOSES, AND RAISING OUTBOARD EQUIPMENT AND/OR POSITIONING
       INBOARD. CONSIDER OTHER NON-LETHAL MEASURES SUCH AS FOCUSED
       SONIC DEVICES AND FLARES. CONDUCT TRANSITS IN GROUPS WITH
       OTHER VESSELS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS
       PROVIDED BY MSC-HOA.
    D. ACTIVE DEFENSIVE MEASURES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED, INCLUDING
       EMPLOYMENT OF PROFESSIONAL SECURITY TEAMS. PROPERLY TRAINED
       SECURITY TEAMS, WITH EXPERIENCE IN MARITIME DEFENSIVE
       PROCEDURES, ARE KNOWN TO BE AN EFFECTIVE DEFENSIVE MEASURE.
       IF EMPLOYING SECURITY TEAMS, CONSIDERATION MUST BE GIVEN TO
       THE POTENTIAL FOR THE RISK TO HUMAN LIFE DURING ANY PIRACY
       ATTACK. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE TRAINING, EXPERIENCE, AND
       QUALIFICATION OF ANY PRIVATE SECURITY FORCE BE VERIFIED.
       LEGAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE FLAG STATE, SHIPS OWNERS,
       MASTER AND THE SECURITY TEAM SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD AND
       CONTRACTUALLY AGREED UPON.
    E. IF A SHIP COMES UNDER ATTACK, REPORT IMMEDIATELY TO UKMTO,
       BROADCAST ATTACKS IMMEDIATELY ON ALL AVAILABLE RADIO
       CIRCUITS, ADJUST SPEED AND MANEUVER, AND ACTIVATE ALL
       AVAILABLE DEFENSIVE MEASURES. DO NOT IMMEDIATELY SURRENDER
       UPON APPROACH OF SUSPECTED PIRATE BOATS. ATTACKS HAVE BEEN
       THWARTED IN MANY CASES WHERE DEFENSIVE MEASURES WERE USED
       AND THE VESSELS BECAME DIFFICULT TARGETS. AN ATTACK HAS
       EVEN BEEN SUCCESSFULLY THWARTED WHERE PIRATES WERE ABLE TO
       BOARD A SHIP BUT WERE UNABLE TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE
       SUPERSTRUCTURE DUE TO THE CAREFUL PREPARATIONS OF THE
       CREW IN SECURING ALL ACCESS POINTS.
    F. ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE REGARDING PRACTICES RECOMMENDED FOR
       MARINERS OPERATING IN VICINITY OF HIGH RISK AREAS HAVE
       BEEN PUBLISHED BY INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION
      (IMO) REVISED MARITIME SAFETY COMMITTEE (MSC) CIRCULARS.
       THESE DOCUMENTS CAN BE ACCESSED VIA IMO WEBSITE AT THE
       FOLLOWING INTERNET ADDRESS:
       HTTP:/WWW.IMO.ORG/SAFETY/MAINFRAME.ASP?TOPIC_ID=1147.
       ALSO IN AN EFFORT TO COUNTER PIRACY IN THE GOA AND OFF
       THE EAST COAST OF SOMALIA, INDUSTRY BODIES INCLUDING
       THE INTERNATIONAL MARITIME BUREAU HAVE PUBLISHED
       "BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES TO DETER PIRACY IN THE GOA
       AND OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA" (FEB 09). THIS DOCUMENT
       CAN BE ACCESSED FROM THE INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER OF
       COMMERCE WEBSITE AT THE FOLLOWING INTERNET ADDRESS:
       HTTP:/WWW.ICC-CCS.ORG/IMAGES/STORIES/PDFS/BMP.PDF.
11. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT MARITIME LIAISON OFFICE
    (MARLO) BAHRAIN, PHONE: 973 1785 3929 OR
    E-MAIL: [email protected] OR THE UK MARITIME
    TRADE ORGANIZATION (UKMTO), PHONE: 97 150 552 3215 OR
    E-MAIL: [email protected]. OR MSC-HOA, PHONE: 440 192 395 8545
    OR E-MAIL: [email protected].
12. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ADVISORY, CONTACT
    MR. DOHERTY, MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, OFFICE OF SECURITY,
    CODE: MAR-420, ROOM W23-312, 1200 NEW JERSEY AVE, S.E.,
    WASHINGTON, DC 20590, PHONE: 202 366 1883,
    FAX: 202 366 3954, TLX II: 710 822 9426 (MARAD DOT WSH)
    OR E-MAIL: [email protected].