Piracy and armed robbery against ships
Marine Notice 6/2006
Supersedes 28/2002
This notice is to advise shipowners, ship operators, masters and crews of:
• The latest guidance from the IMO on preventing and suppressing acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships
• The Australian Ship Reporting System (AUSREP) Out of Area (OOA) reporting facilities for Australian ships (Annex 1), and;
• Standard message formats for piracy/armed robbery attack alerts (Annex 2)
IMO guidance
The IMO Circular MSC/Circ.623/Rev.3 (Guidance to shipowners and ship operators, shipmasters and crews on preventing and suppressing acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships) provides information on the activities of pirates on the high seas and armed robbers who attack ships in the territorial waters of the coastal State. MSC/Circ.623/Rev.3 is available at
www.amsa.gov.au
The aim of the Circular is to give comprehensive advice on measures that can be taken onboard to prevent attacks or, when they occur, to minimise the danger to the crew and ship as well as to reinforce the vital need to report attacks to the coastal State and the ship’s Flag State.
To assist in anti-piracy measures, IMO issues reports on piracy and armed robbery against ships submitted by Member Governments and international organisations.
The piracy reports are available on the IMO website www.imo.org
Maritime security regime
The International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, which came into effect in 2004 and is implemented through Chapter XI-2 (Special measures to enhance maritime security) in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) contains a comprehensive set of measures to enhance ship security. One of these measures is the development of a Ship Security Plan to ensure the application of measures on board the ship designed to protect persons on board as well as the ship and its cargo from any suspicious act or circumstance, including piracy and armed robbery.
The ISPS Code is implemented in Australia through the Maritime Transport and Offshore Facilities Security Act 2003 and associated Regulations, which legislate Australia’s maritime security requirements including matters to be addressed in a Ship Security Plan.
Other guidance
• BIMCO Publication “The Ship Master’s Security Manual”
• Pirates and Armed Robbers: Guidelines on Prevention for Masters and Ship Security Officers 4th Edition 2004 (ICS/ISF)
• Guidance for Ship Operators on the IMO International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code 1st Edition 2003 (ICS)
• ICS Model Ship Security Plan (With CD) 1st edition 2003 (ICS)
Piracy Reporting Centre
The latest information on piracy attacks and the regions of greatest risk can be obtained from the ICC International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Centre at Kuala Lumpur. The centre operates
24 hours a day and can be contacted on:
Telephone: +603 2031 0014
Facsimile: +603 2078 5679
Telex: MA 34199 IMBPCI
email: piracy@imbpiracy.org
The Centre also issues status reports and warning messages on the SafetyNET service of Inmarsat C at 0001 UTC each day.
Somalia
The number of attacks and hijackings off the Somalian coast has prompted the IMO to draw special attention to this area by adopting a resolution on piracy and armed robbery against ships in Somalian waters in November 2005.
The resolution condemns and deplores all acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships and appeals to all parties who may be able to assist, to ensure that all acts, or attempted acts of piracy and armed robbery are terminated.
Ships are advised to take extra precautions when entering this area.
AUSREP Out of Area Reporting facilities
AMSA provides an extension to the Australian Ship Reporting System (AUSREP) with its Out of Area (OOA) reporting facilities for Australian ships operating in piracy threat areas. A summary of the AUSREP OOA procedure is provided in Annex 1 to this notice.
Radio watch and reporting
A constant radio watch should be maintained with the appropriate shore or naval authorities when in areas where attacks have occurred. Continuous watch should also be maintained on all distress and safety frequencies, particularly VHF Channel 16. Ships should also ensure all maritime safety information broadcasts for the area are monitored (NAVTEX and EGC SafetyNET service).
Standard message formats
The standard message formats for:
• Initial messages - Piracy/armed robbery attack alert; and
• Follow-up report - Piracy/armed robbery attack alert
were agreed by the IMO Maritime Safety Committee in May 1999, they are attached in Annex 2 to this notice.
Conclusion
Acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships are often violent in nature and continue to pose a large threat in a number of high risk areas.
It is essential that owners, masters and crews of vessels operating in waters where attacks occur take appropriate measures to guard against attack minimise the risks if an attack takes place, report attacks and cooperate in criminal investigations if requested to do so.
Ships entering piracy risk areas must be aware of the risk of attack and should take appropriate measures to increase the level of surveillance and security on board and devise means of responding to attacks. A clear and comprehensive Ship Security Plan and the training of crews in security measures and response techniques are essential. Without clearly defined and rigorously practised procedures, the risk of an uncoordinated response during the inevitable confusion of an attack increases the danger faced by those on board the ship. While a Ship Security Plan and crew training may not prevent an attack they should help reduce the risks if an attack takes place.
Attacks by pirates or armed robbers pose an immediate threat to the safety of a ship and individual crew members. When responding to attacks, masters and crews should seek to minimise the risk to those on board and maintain effective control over the safe navigation of the ship.
Finally, it is important that all incidents of piracy and armed robbery, even minor incidents, are reported in detail to the appropriate authorities as soon as practicable. Accurate knowledge of the type and extent of piracy and armed robbery of ships is valuable for assessing the risk and formulating a comprehensive response.
Clive Davidson
Chief Executive Officer
April 2006
Australian Maritime Safety Authority
GPO Box 2181
CANBERRA ACT 2601
File No: 35708
Term of Validity: Permanent
Internet address for all current Marine Notices:
www.amsa.gov.au
AUSREP Out of Area (OOA) reporting in piracy threat areas
Because of the threat of attacks by pirates and armed robbers on ships operating outside Australian waters, Australian flag vessels may continue reporting their position to RCC Australia while outside the AUSREP area and within a piracy threat area. The generic term ‘AUSREP OOA’ is used to identify these reports.
Sailing Plan Report (AUSREP SP)
• Ships should initially indicate at Section X of the format in the AUSREP SP their intention to employ AUSREP OOA reports during the current voyage, on leaving the Australian area, or prior to entering the AUSREP area.
Position Report (AUSREP PR)
• While in the AUSREP area normal daily AUSREP PR reports are to be sent.
• Once across the AUSREP boundary the header on all subsequent daily reports to RCC Australia (except the final [AUSREP FR] report) should be changed to read ‘AUSREP OOA’.
• Continuity of daily reporting is essential.
Final Report (AUSREP FR)
• On clearing the designated Threat Zone outbound, or on arrival at the destination port if within the Threat Zone, the AUSREP FR message should be sent to RCC Australia.
Ship’s Message Formats
Report 1 - Initial Message - Piracy/armed robbery attack alert
1. Ship’s name, callsign and IMO number, INMARSAT IDs (plus ocean region code) and MMSI
MAYDAY/DISTRESS SIGNAL (see note)
URGENCY SIGNAL
PIRACY/ARMED ROBBERY ATTACK
2. Ship’s position (and time of position UTC)
Latitude Longitude
Course Speed
3. Nature of event
Note: It is expected that this message will be a Distress Message because the ship or persons will be in grave or imminent danger when under attack. Where this is not the case, the word MAYDAY/DISTRESS ALERT is to be omitted.
Use of distress priority (3) in the INMARSAT system will not require MAYDAY DISTRESS ALERT to be included.
Report 2 - Follow-up report - Piracy/armed robbery attack alert
1. Ship’s name, callsign and IMO number
2. Reference initial PIRACY/ARMED ROBBERY ALERT
3. Position of incident
Latitude Longitude
Name of area
4. Details of incident, eg:
While sailing, at anchor or at berth?
Method of attack
Description/number of suspect craft
Number and brief description of pirates/robbers
What kind of weapons did the pirates/robbers carry?
Any other information (e.g. language spoken)
Injuries to crew and passengers
Damage to ship (Which part of the ship was attacked?)
Brief details of stolen property/cargo
Action taken by the master and crew
Was incident reported to the coastal authority and to whom?
Action taken by the coastal state
5. Last observed movements of pirate/suspect craft, eg
Date/time/course/position/speed
6. Assistance required
7. Preferred communications with reporting ship, e.g.:
Appropriate Coast Radio Station
HF/MF/VHF
INMARSAT IDs (plus ocean region code)
MMSI
8. Date/time of report (UTC)