Part 1 of 2. refer to 917/97 for part 2. revision note: this revision contains numerous changes

Original warning text

PART 1 OF 2. REFER TO 917/97 FOR PART 2.
REVISION NOTE: THIS REVISION CONTAINS NUMEROUS CHANGES.
1. SUMMARY:  THE NAVAL INTERCEPTION EFFORT IN SUPPORT OF THE UNITED
   NATIONS SANCTIONS PERTAINING TO IRAQ CONTINUES IN THE ARABIAN
   GULF AND OTHER AREAS WHERE VESSELS ARE INBOUND TO OR OUTBOUND FROM
   IRAQ. CARGO BOUND FOR AQABA OR TRANSSHIPMENT FROM AQABA WILL
   NORMALLY BE INSPECTED ASHORE BY A TEAM CONSISTING OF LLOYD'S
   REGISTER AND THE AQABA PORT AUTHORITY. VESSELS TRAVERSING THE
   NORTHERN ARABIAN GULF, THE SHATT AL-ARAB WATERWAY, OR KHAWR
   ABD-ALLAH WATERWAY SHOULD EXPECT TO BE QUERIED AND, IF BOUND FOR
   OR DEPARTING IRAQI PORTS, BOARDED BY MULTINATIONAL NAVAL UNITS
   ENFORCING U.N. SANCTIONS. DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
   OFFICIALS IN AQABA AND THE NAVAL UNITS IN THE ARABIAN GULF ARE
   IDENTICAL. IRAQ-BOUND CARGOES OTHER THAN APPROVED FOOD, MEDICAL
   SUPPLIES, OR HUMANITARIAN ITEMS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO PASS.
   VESSELS NOT IN POSSESSION OF APPROPRIATE AUTHORIZATION LETTERS
   FROM THE U.N. MAY BE SUBJECT TO DELAY UNTIL PROPER DOCUMENTATION
   IS OBTAINED. BONA FIDE MEDICAL SUPPLIES NOT UNDER THE UNSCR
   986/1111 REGIME DO NOT REQUIRE A U.N. AUTHORIZATION LETTER;
   HOWEVER, SHIPMENTS OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES WHICH ARE APPROVED UNDER
   THE UNSCR 986/1111 PROCEDURES DO REQUIRE A LETTER OF AUTHORIZATION
   FROM THE U.N. ALL INBOUND FOOD SHIPMENTS, WHETHER OR NOT THEY FALL
   UNDER UNSCR 986/1111 PROCEDURES, REQUIRE U.N. AUTHORIZATION
   LETTERS. ALL NON-FOOD OR NON-MEDICAL HUMANITARIAN COMMODITIES
   REQUIRE AUTHORIZATION LETTERS FROM THE U.N.
2. UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 986/1111 (1995):  THE
   IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS RESOLUTION DOES NOT AFFECT THE MISSION OF
   THE MULTINATIONAL FORCES OPERATING UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF UNSCR
   661 (1990), UNSCR 665 (1990), AND OTHER RELEVANT RESOLUTIONS.
   CERTAIN REVISED OPERATING PROCEDURES ARE SET FORTH IN THIS NOTICE
   TO ACCOUNT FOR THE REQUIREMENTS OF UNSCR 986/1111 AND THE
   ANTICIPATED INCREASE OF SHIPPING TRAFFIC IN THE NORTHERN ARABIAN
   GULF. SHIPS TRAVERSING THE ENFORCEMENT AREA IN THE ARABIAN GULF
   SHOULD EXPECT DELAYS STEMMING FROM MARITIME INTERCEPTION
   OPERATIONS. STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE PROCEDURES IN THIS NOTICE WILL
   MINIMIZE ANY DELAYS ASSOCIATED WITH SEABORNE INSPECTIONS.
3. THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS ARE IN EFFECT FOR ALL IRAQ-BOUND
   SHIPPING TRAVERSING THE MARITIME INTERCEPTION OPERATIONS AREA IN
   THE ARABIAN GULF:
   A. NOTIFICATION:  A MINIMUM OF 72 HOURS ADVANCE NOTIFICATION IS
      REQUIRED PRIOR TO ARRIVAL AT THE ENFORCEMENT AREA. CONTACT THE
      MARITIME INTERCEPTION FORCES (MIF) COORDINATOR, U.S. NAVAL
      FORCES, CENTRAL COMMAND (BAHRAIN) BY FAX (973-724-344 OR
      973-724-334) OR LETTER (SEE PARAGRAPH 8). THE FOLLOWING
      INFORMATION MUST BE INCLUDED:
      (1) VESSEL NAME
      (2) VESSEL FLAG
      (3) INTERNATIONAL RADIO CALL SIGN
      (4) ITINERARY, INCLUDING PORT OF CARGO ORIGIN;
      (5) DESCRIPTION OF CARGO
      (6) VOLUME OF CARGO
      (7) NUMBER OF HOLDS
      (8) DIMENSIONS OF HOLDS
      (9) IDENTIFICATION OF THE VESSEL'S SHIPPING AGENT
      (10) IDENTIFICATION OF THE VESSEL'S OWNERS
      (11) IF REQUIRED (REFER TO PARAGRAPH 1), U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL
           LETTER SHOWING SERIAL NUMBER, ISSUE DATE, AND EXPIRATION
           DATE
      (12) ESTIMATED ARRIVAL DATE AND TIME AT THE CHECKPOINT (SEE
           PARAGRAPH 3.C).
   B. CARGO CONFIGURATION:  ALL CARGO MUST BE ACCESSIBLE FOR
      INSPECTION AT SEA. CARGO CARRIERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOADING
      CARGOES TO ENSURE ACCESSIBILITY. THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC
      GUIDANCE APPLIES:
      (1) CONTAINERIZED CARGO:  CARGO CONTAINERS MUST NOT BE STACKED
          MORE THAN THREE HIGH FROM THE DECK. AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION
          TO PROTECT INSPECTION TEAMS, CONTAINERS STACKED MORE THAN
          THREE HIGH WILL BE CONSIDERED INACCESSIBLE. THIS PROVISION
          APPLIES TO BOTH INTERNAL AND DECK-LOADED CONTAINERS.
      (2) BREAK BULK:  PACKAGED OR BAGGED CARGO MUST BE LOADED IN A
          MANNER WHICH PERMITS THOROUGH INSPECTION. PALLETIZED ROWS
          OF CARGO REQUIRE ADEQUATE SEPARATION TO ALLOW FOR SAFE
          ACCESS.
      (3) LOOSE BULK:  LOOSE BULK CARGO MUST BE ACCESSIBLE FOR
          PHYSICAL AND VISUAL INSPECTION, VERIFICATION OF MEASUREMENT
          SOUNDINGS, AND SAMPLING. HATCH COVERS MUST BE OPENED TO
          ALLOW FOR THOROUGH INSPECTION.
      (4) IF A VESSEL'S CARGO IS DEEMED INACCESSIBLE FOR INSPECTION,
          THE VESSEL MAY BE DIRECTED TO RETURN TO A PORT WHERE
          ACCEPTABLE CARGO LOADING CAN BE ARRANGED.
   C. CHECKPOINT:  VESSELS BOUND FOR OR DEPARTING FROM IRAQI PORTS OR
      THE MINA AL-BAKR OIL TERMINAL MUST PASS WITHIN A FIVE NAUTICAL
      MILE RADIUS OF LATITUDE TWENTY-NINE DEGREES THIRTY-TWO MINUTES
      NORTH AND LONGITUDE FORTY-NINE DEGREES FOURTEEN MINUTES EAST
      (29-32N 049-14E). APPROACHING VESSELS SHOULD CONTACT THE MIF
      COMMANDER ON BRIDGE-TO-BRIDGE RADIO, CHANNEL 16, WHEN WITHIN
      FIVE NAUTICAL MILES OF THIS POINT. VESSELS WILL NOT BE
      PERMITTED TO PROCEED FROM THIS POINT UNTIL CLEARED BY THE MIF
      COMMANDER. VESSELS CONTAINING CARGOES FOR DESTINATIONS OTHER
      THAN IRAQ WILL NOT BY ALLOWED PASSAGE INTO IRAQ.
   D. VESSEL TONNAGE LIMIT:  VESSELS UNDER 30,000 DWT WILL NOT BE
      AUTHORIZED TO PROCEED TO MINA AL-BAKR FOR THE PURPOSE OF
      LOADING PETROLEUM CARGOES.