This marad advisory provides updated guidance for transitting the gulf of aden effective 01 feb

Original warning text

THIS MARAD ADVISORY PROVIDES UPDATED GUIDANCE FOR
TRANSITTING THE GULF OF ADEN EFFECTIVE 01 FEB.
1. IN COOPERATION WITH EUROPEAN UNION NAVAL FORCE
   (EUNAVFOR) ATALANTA AND THE UNITED KINGDOM
   MARITIME TRADE ORGANIZATION (UKMTO), COMBINED
   FORCES (CMF) IS REVISING THE INTERNATIONALLY
   RECOMMENDED UKMTO TRANSIT CORRIDOR THRU THE
   GULF OF ADEN IN RESPONSE TO FEEDBACK FROM THE
   INTERNATIONAL MARITIME COMMUNITY. THIS REVISION
   IS INTENDED TO REDUCE THE RISK OF COLLISION
   BETWEEN VESSELS UTILIZING THE CORRIDOR,
   PROVIDE A MEASURE OF TRAFFIC SEPARATION,
   AND ALLOW MARITIME FORCES TO CONDUCT
   DETERRENT OPERATIONS IN THE GULF OF ADEN (GOA)
   WITH A GREATER DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY.
2. EFFECTIVE 010001Z FEB, THE REVISED UKMTO
   TRANSIT CORRIDOR WILL COME INTO EFFECT
   AT 010001Z FEB. ALL VESSELS COMMENCING A
   TRANSIT THRU THE EXISTING CORRIDOR PRIOR
   TO 010001Z FEB SHOULD COMPLETE THEIR TRANSIT
   USING THE EXITING COORDINATES. DO NOT SHIFT
   TO THE NEW CORRIDOR IN MID TRANSIT. ALL
   VESSELS PLANNING TO TRANSIT THE GOA AFTER
   010001Z FEB SHOULD PLAN TO USE THE REVISED
   CORRIDOR. REVISIONS TO THE CORRIDOR INCLUDE THE
   CREATION OF SEPARATE EAST BOUND AND WEST BOUND
   TRANSIT LANES. EACH LANE WILL BE FIVE MILES WIDE
   AND WILL BE SEPARATED BY A TWO MILE BUFFER ZONE.
   THE EAST BOUND LANE WILL BEGIN AT 045 DEGREES EAST
   BETWEEN 11-48N AND 11-53N. THE LANE WILL BE
   ORIENTED ALONG A STRAIGHT LINE COURSE OF
   072 DEGREES AND TERMINATE AT 053 DEGREES EAST
   BETWEEN 14-18N AND 14-23N. THE WEST BOUND LANE
   WILL BEGIN AT 053 DEGREES EAST BETWEEN
   14-25N AND 14-30N. THE LANE WILL BE ORIENTED
   ALONG A COURSE OF 252 DEGREES AND TERMINATE
   AT 045 DEGREES EAST BETWEEN 11-55N AND 12-00N.
   THESE NEW COORDINATES ARE NOT EFFECTIVE UNTIL
   010001Z FEB. PRIOR TO 01 FEB, WARSHIPS
   PATROLLING THE MARITIME SECURITY PATROL AREA
   (MSPA) WILL BE POSITIONED TO BEST SUPPORT
   VESSELS TRANSITING IN THE EXISTING UKMTO
   TRANSIT CORRIDORS. THE UKMTO TRANSIT CORRIDOR
   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 GULF OF ADEN ARE STRONGLY
   RECOMMENDED TO ADHERE TO THESE GUIDELINES
   REGARDING USE OF THE UKMTO TRANSIT CORRIDOR.
3. ON 22 AUG 08 COMBINED MARITIME FORCES (CMF) DIRECTED
   THE ESTABLISHEMENT OF THE MSPA IN THE GULF OF ADEN.
   THE MSPA WAS ESTABLISHED IN SUPPORT OF THE
   INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATIONS (IMO)
   ONGOING EFFORTS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF
   SHIPS AND MARINERS AT SEA. THE MSPA IS A
   GEOGRAPHIC REGION IN THE GULF OF ADEN 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, NOR IS IT
   INTENDED TO BE A DEDICATED TRAFFIC SEPARATION
   SCHEME. THE MSPA IS A NAVAL MILITARY TERM FOR
   USE BY WARSHIPS WHEN COMMUNICATING WITH EACH
   OTHER. THE MSPA SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH THE
   REVISED INTERNATIONALLY RECOMMENDED UKMTO TRANSIT
   CORRIDOR FOR THE GULF OF ADEN. THE UKMTO TRANSIT
   CORRIDOR IS THE RECOMMENDED PATH THROUGH THE GULF
   OF ADEN TO ALLOW MINIMAL RESPONSE TIME TO ATTACKS.
   MSPA PATROLS ARE INTENDED TO MONITOR ACTIVITY
   BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CORRIDOR. NAVAL
   VESSELS PATROLLING THE MSPA PROVIDE A MEASURE OF
   DETERRENCE THRU THEIR PRESENCE, BUT DUE TO THE
   VAST AREA OF THE GOA AND THE OPEN WATERS EAST
   OF SOMALIA, AND GIVEN THE HIGH VOLUME OF SHIPPING
   IN THE REGION, THE SAFETY OF ALL SHIPS CANNOT
   BE GUARANTEED. MASTERS ARE THEREFORE RECOMMENDED
   TO CONTINUE TO EMPLOY ALL AVAILABLE DEFENSIVE
   MEASURES TO MAKE THEIR VESSELS LESS VULNERABLE TO
   ATTACK WHEN OPERATING IN THE GULF OF ADEN.
4. CMF, IN COOPERATION WITH THE EFFORTS OF FORCES
   FROM NATO, THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU), CHINA, INDIA,
   MALAYSIA AND RUSSIA, HAVE HAD SUCCESS IN
   DETERRING ATTACKS ON MERCHANT SHIPPING.
   A FAR GREATER NUMBER OF ATTACKS HAVE BEEN
   THWARTED THRU DEFENSIVE AND PROTECTIVE MEASURES
   TAKEN BY COMMERCIAL AND CIVILIAN SHIPS PRIOR TO
   ENTERING AND DURING TRANSIT THRU 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 GULF OF ADEN AS WELL AS IN THE OPEN OCEAN
   OF THE EAST COAST OF SOMALIA.
5. IN LIGHT OF THE PIRATES INCREASED RESOLVE AND
   ADAPTABILITY, ADDITIONAL PRECAUTIONS AND RISK
   ASSESSMENTS ARE ENCOURGED. 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.
6. 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 IMMDEDIATELY AT
      THE FIRST SIGN OF A THREAT.
   B. EMPLOY SPEED AND MANEUVER TO AVOID ATTACK.
      CONDUCT TRANSIT OF HIGH THREAT AREAS AT MAXIMUM
      SUBSTANABLE 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 WHOM ARE
      FISHING BOATS THAT 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 CPA'S.
      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
      ACTIVIATE DEFENSIVE MEASURES TO REDUCE
      VULNERABILITY.
   C. ADOPT PASSIVE DEFENSE MEASURES. TAKE ALL
      PRECAUTION DETAILED FOR SPEED AND MANEUVER.
      TAKE DEFENSEIVE 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 DEFENSE MEASURE.
      IF EMPLOYING SECURITY TEAMS, CONSIDERATION MUST
      BE GIVEN TO THE POTENTIAL FOR THE RISK TO HUMAN
      LIFE IN THE EVENT OF AN ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN PIRATES
      AND SECURITY TEAMS. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE
      TRAINING, EXPERIENCE, AND QUALIFICATION OF ANY
      PRIVATE SECURITY FORCE BE VERIFIED. LEGAL
      RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE FLAG STATE, SHIP OWNERS,
      MASTERS AND THE SECURITY TEAM SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD
      AND SHOULD BE CONTRACTUALLY AGREED TO.
   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 DEFENSE 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.
   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=114.
7. CONTACT INFORMATION:
   A. CONTACT MARITIME LIAISON OFFICE, MARLO BAHRAIN,
      PHONE: 9 731 785 3929,
      E-MAIL: [email protected].
   B. THE UK MARITIME TRADE ORGANIZATION (UKMTO),
      PHONE: 97 150 552 3215, E-MAIL: [email protected].
   C. MSC-HOA, PHONE: 440 192 395 8545,
      E-MAIL: [email protected].
   D. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ADVISORY,
      CONTACT MR. DOHERTY, MAIL: 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].