Maritime advisory 2017-002

Original warning text

U.S. MARITIME ADVISORY 2017-002.
1. REFERENCE: U.S. MARITIME ALERT NUMBERS 2017-001A,
   2017-002A, AND 2017-002B, AVAILABLE AT:
   www.marad.dot.gov/msci/.
2. ISSUE: CONTINUED REGIONAL TENSIONS IN YEMEN HAVE
   INCREASED THE RISKS TO U.S. FLAGGED COMMERCIAL
   VESSELS TRANSITING THE SOUTHERN RED SEA. THE
   HOUTHI REBELS HAVE CONDUCTED ATTACKS AGAINST A
   SAUDI WARSHIP AND UAE LOGISTICS VESSELS, AS WELL
   AS AN ATTEMPTED BUT FAILED ATTACK AGAINST
   U.S. NAVY SHIPS IN THE SOUTHERN RED SEA. THERE
   HAS BEEN INCREASED FIGHTING ALONG THE RED SEA
   COAST AND THERE IS A RISK THAT U.S. FLAGGED
   COMMERCIAL VESSELS OPERATING IN THE AREA COULD
   BE ASSOCIATED WITH ANTI-HOUTHI OPERATIONS,
   OR OTHERWISE AT RISK. U.S. FLAGGED VESSELS
   OPERATING IN THIS VICINITY SHOULD EXERCISE
   EXTREME CAUTION.
3. GUIDANCE: IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT U.S. FLAGGED
   COMMERCIAL VESSELS AVOID ENTERING OR LOITERING
   NEAR YEMENS RED SEA PORTS, AND THAT VESSELS AT
   ANCHOR, OPERATING IN RESTRICTED MANEUVERING
   ENVIRONMENTS OR AT SLOW SPEEDS, BE ESPECIALLY
   VIGILANT. U.S. FLAGGED COMMERCIAL VESSELS
   TRANSITING THE REGION SHOULD CONDUCT A PRE-VOYAGE
   RISK ASSESSMENT AND INCORPORATE APPROPRIATE
   PROTECTIVE MEASURES INTO THEIR VESSEL SECURITY
   PLANS. U.S. COAST GUARD INFORMATION MAY BE FOUND AT:
   https:homeport.uscg.mil/mycg/portal/ep/home.do.
4. U.S. FLAGGED COMMERCIAL VESSELS IN THE REGION
   SHOULD OPERATE UNDER A HEIGHTENED STATE OF ALERT
   DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR DIRECT OR COLLATERAL
   DAMAGE. THESE THREATS MAY COME FROM A VARIETY OF
   DIFFERENT SOURCES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
   MISSILES, PROJECTILES, MINES, SMALL ARMS, OR
   WATERBORNE IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES. VESSELS
   IN THIS REGION SHOULD REPORT HOSTILE ACTIVITIES
   IMMEDIATELY AND CONTACT COALITION NAVAL FORCES
   ON VHF CHANNEL 16. U.S. FLAGGED COMMERCIAL VESSELS
   SHOULD ALSO MAKE CONTACT IN ADVANCE WITH THE
   U.S. FIFTH FLEET NAVAL COOPERATION AND GUIDANCE
   FOR SHIPPING (NCAGS) DETACHMENT AT
   PHONE: 973 1785 3879 OR
   EMAIL: [email protected]. SUSPICIOUS
   ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO BE
   REPORTED BY U.S. FLAG COMMERCIAL VESSELS TO THE
   U.S. COAST GUARD NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER IN
   ACCORDANCE WITH 33 CFR PART 101.305. VESSELS
   OPERATING IN THIS REGION ARE ALSO ADVISED TO
   ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM
   MARITIME TRADE OFFICE (UKMTO). UKMTO ADVISORIES,
   WARNINGS, AND CONTACT INFO ARE
   AVAILABLE AT www.ukmto.org.
5. TRANSIT BY YACHTS AND PRIVATELY OWNED SAILING
   VESSELS THROUGH THE REGION IS ALSO EXTREMELY
   HAZARDOUS AND MAY RESULT IN CAPTURE. THE
   U.S. COAST GUARD ADVISES AGAINST ALL OPERATION
   OF YACHT AND PLEASURE CRAFT IN THESE AREAS.
   VESSELS THAT MAKE THIS PASSAGE DESPITE THIS
   ADVISORY SHOULD MAKE CONTACT IN ADVANCE WITH
   NCAGS VIA PHONE: 973 1785 3879. AMERICAN
   CITIZENS ABROAD SHOULD INFORM THE NEAREST
   U.S. EMBASSY OR CONSULATE OF THEIR PLANS TO
   TRANSIT THE AREA AND/OR UPDATE THEIR INFORMATION
   VIA THE SMART TRAVELER ENROLLMENT PROGRAM (STEP)
   AT: https://step.state.gov/step/. YACHTING
   GUIDANCE CAN BE FOUND
   AT: http://www.mschoa.org/on-shore/home.
6. A SHIP HOSTILE ACTION REPORT (SHAR) SHOULD BE
   SENT TO THE NATIONAL GEOSPATIAL-INTELLIGENCE
   AGENCY (NGA) AT: http://msi.nga.mil/NGAPortal/MSI.
   portal?_nfpb=true&_st=&_pageLabel=
   msi_portal_page_70&subCode=06
   AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT OR
   SUSPECTED ACTIVITY (INCLUDING APPARENT
   SURVEILLANCE BEING CONDUCTED BY SMALL VESSEL/BOATS).
   REFERENCE NGA PUB 117 AT:
   http://msi.nga.mil/MSISiteContent/StaticFiles
   /NAV_PUBS/RNA/Pub117bk.pdf FOR FURTHER GUIDANCE.
7. CONTACT INFORMATION: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION,
   CONTACT, EMAIL: [email protected].
8. CANCELLATION OF PRIOR ADVISORIES: THIS MESSAGE
   CANCELS LEGACY SPECIAL WARNING 134 (RED SEA,
   BAB-EL-MANDEB STRAIT AND GULF OF ADEN), LEGACY
   MARAD ADVISORIES 2005-001 (THREAT INFO AND
   MARITIME INDUSTRY REPORTING OF SUSPECTED/ACTUAL
   TERRORIST INCIDENTS), 2010-006 (GUIDANCE TO
   VESSELS TRANSITING HIGH RISK WATERS  GULF OF ADEN,
   RED SEA, HORN OF AFRICA).
9. CANCEL THIS MSG 24 SEP 17.