Maritime advisory 2017-005 1. issue: this U.S

Original warning text

U.S. MARITIME ADVISORY 2017-005
1. ISSUE: THIS U.S. MARITIME ADVISORY PROVIDES
   GUIDANCE TO VESSELS TRANSITING OR OPERATING
   IN THE GULF OF GUINEA (GOG). U.S. FLAGGED
   OPERATORS WITH VESSELS IN THE AFFECTED AREA ARE
   REQUESTED TO FORWARD THIS ADVISORY TO THEIR
   SHIPS BY THE MOST EXPEDITIOUS MEANS.
2. PIRATES/ARMED GROUPS OPERATING IN THE GOG REGION
   CONTINUE TO CARRY OUT ATTACKS ON VESSELS USING
   AUTOMATIC WEAPONS. HIJACKINGS OF TANKERS FOR CARGO
   THEFT (REFINED PETROLEUM PRODUCTS), SHIP'S
   PROPERTY, ROBBERY OF CREW, AND KIDNAPPINGS FOR
   RANSOM (KFR) CONTINUE TO BE THE MOST COMMON
   THREATS. U.S. FLAGGED OPERATORS WITH SHIPS OPERATING
   IN OR THROUGH THE GOG VOLUNTARY REPORTING AREA
   DESIGNATED ON MARITIME SECURITY CHART Q6114 AT
   HTTP:WWW.SHIPPING.NATO.INT/NSC/MEDIA
   -CENTRE/DOWNLOADS/MARITIME-SECURITY-CHARTS.ASPX
   SHOULD TRANSIT WITH EXTREME CAUTION AND VIGILANCE.
3. THE MAJORITY OF KFR OPERATIONS IN THE GULF OF
   GUINEA OCCUR PREDOMINATELY AROUND THE NIGER
   DELTA WITH VESSELS (TANKERS, TUGS, OFFSHORE
   SUPPLY VESSELS, AND CARGO VESSELS) FREQUENTLY
   BEING TARGETED DUE TO THEIR HIGH VALUE FOREIGN
   CREWMEMBERS. PIRATES HAVE USED MOTHERSHIPS TO
   SUPPORT OPERATIONS UP TO 150 NAUTICAL MILES
   OFFSHORE. PIRATES/ARMED KFR GROUPS HAVE BEEN
   KNOWN TO FIRE UPON TARGETED VESSELS PRIOR TO
   ATTEMPTING TO BOARDING THEM. KFR GROUPS
   GENERALLY KIDNAP TWO TO SIX HIGH VALUE CREWMEMBERS
   TO INCLUDE THE MASTER, CHIEF ENGINEER, AND ANY
   WESTERN CREWMEMBERS. KIDNAPPED CREWMEMBERS ARE
   NORMALLY TAKEN ASHORE IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION,
   WHERE KFR GROUPS DEMAND RANSOM PAYMENTS IN
   EXCHANGE FOR THE CREWMEMBERS SAFE RETURN.
4. GUIDANCE: ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS THREAT,
   INCLUDING SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR VESSELS
   TRANSITING THE AREA, IS AVAILABLE ON THE NATO
   SHIPPING CENTRE WEBSITE AT:
   HTTP://WWW.SHIPPING.NATO.INT/NSC/OPERATIONS/
   GLOBAL-MARITIME-RISK/WEST-AFRICAGULF-OF-GUINEA.ASPX.
   U.S. FLAG VESSELS ANCHORING, TRANSITING OR
   OPERATING IN THIS REGION MUST COMPLY WITH THEIR
   U.S. COAST GUARD APPROVED VESSEL SECURITY PLANS.
5. A SHIP HOSTILE ACTION REPORT (SHAR) SHOULD BE
   SENT TO THE NATIONAL GEOSPATIAL-INTELLIGENCE
   AGENCY (NGA), IN ACCORDANCE WITH PUB 117, AT THE
   SUBMIT REPORT LINK AT
   HTTP://MSI.NGA.MIL/NGAPORTAL/MSI.PORTAL AS SOON
   AS POSSIBLE FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT OR SUSPECTED
   ACTIVITY (INCLUDING APPARENT SURVEILLANCE BEING
   CONDUCTED BY SMALL VESSELS/BOATS).
6. MARINERS OPERATING NEAR THIS AREA ARE ALSO ADVISED
   TO CONSULT THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE TRAVEL WARNINGS
   FOR THIS AREA AT:
   HTTPS://TRAVEL.STATE.GOV/CONTENT/PASSPORTS/EN/
   ALERTSWARNINGS.HTML.
7. CONTACT INFORMATION: THE NEW MARINE DOMAIN
   AWARENESS FOR TRADE-GULF OF GUINEA (MDAT-GOG)
   IS OPERATED BY THE NAVIES OF FRANCE AND THE
   UNITED KINGDOM AND SERVES AS THE REGIONAL
   REPORTING CENTER FOR THE GOG. MDAT-GOG CAN BE
   CONTACTED VIA EMAIL AT: [email protected]
   OR TELEPHONE AT +33(0)2 9822 8888. FOR ANY
   QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ADVISORY, CONTACT THE
   MARAD OFFICE OF MARITIME SECURITY AT:
   [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
   MAY ALSO BE FOUND ON THE MARAD OFFICE OF
   MARITIME SECURITY WEBSITE AT:
   HTTPS://WWW.MARAD.DOT.GOV/ENVIRONMENT-AND-SAFETY/
   OFFICE-OF-SECURITY/.
8. CANCELLATION OF PRIOR ADVISORIES: THIS MESSAGE
   CANCELS LEGACY MARAD ADVISORY 2013-5 (GULF OF GUINEA)
   AS WELL AS SPECIAL WARNINGS 092 (LIBERIA) AND 119
  (SIERRA LEONE).
9. CANCEL THIS MSG 02 DEC 17.