Response Measures for Navigating through the Gulf of Aden

Seoul High Level Meeting andInternational Maritime Forum on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia

Tim WilkinsINTERTANKO Regional Manager Asia-Pacific

2

1 Introduction

2 Overview of International Response

3 Industry Approach and Response Measures3.1 Industry Best Practice

4 Industry and Naval Coordination

5 Solutions5.1 Industry views on short to long term solutions

3

World seaborne trade 1968-2008

35000 Billion Tonne Miles in 2008

1. Introduction

4

Top 20 Beneficial Ownership Countries

(January 2007)

1. Introduction

5

1. Introduction

6

Gulf of Aden transits 2007

Westbound tankers traffic 2007

 

Eastbound tankers traffic 2007

Type tanker No. Type tanker No

Chemical tankers 1,228 Chemical tankers 990

Gas tankers 157 Gas tankers 197

Crude oil tankers 814 Crude oil tankers 1052

 

VLCCs 450

 

VLCCs 390

Suezmaxes 273 Suezmaxes 244

Aframaxes 386 Aframaxes 356

Others 76 Others 62

Product tankers 589 Product tankers 817

Other tankers 46 Other tankers 150

Total 5,201 Total 4,176

Source: LMIU= C. 800 tanker transits per Month

1. Introduction

7

Ship Type Piracy Attacks

1. Introduction

8

1. Introduction

2009 Update: Piracy Statistics (ICC-IMB)

• Up to 15 May– Ships hijacked : 29– Hostages : 472

• Vessels attacked 1 April – 22 May : 63– Gen Cargo (14); Bulk Carrier (14); Tanker (13); Other / n/r (13); Container

(9)

• April attacks– Gulf of Aden 45%– East of Somalia 45%– n/r 5%

9

2. Overview of International Response

Political framework and the UN

• Within the context of no functioning Somali Government…• UN and IMO actions included:

– Emphasis on the roles of Warships to protect trade

– 23 nations represented within EUNAVFOR, NATO and Non-aligned

– Appropriate UN Security Council Resolutions to interdict• 1846 – UNCLOS extension

• 1851 – Governments formed International Cooperative Mechanism - “The Contact Group”

10

IMO and the Shipping Industry

• MSC/Circ.622/Rev.1 - Recommendations to Governments for preventing and suppressing piracy and armed robbery against ships

• MSC/Circ.623/Rev.2 - Guidance to shipowners and ship operators, shipmasters and crews on preventing and suppressing acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships

• IMO MSC 86 discussions– BMPs covering transit off Somalia

• Previously drafted in UN Contact Group 3 • Industry Best Management Practices

2. Overview of International Response

11

Industry ‘Best Management Practices’

• INTERTANKO• ICS• OCIMF• BIMCO• SIGTTO• INTERCARGO• IGP&I• CLIA• IUMI • Joint War Committee• IMB• MSCHOA• MTO-Dubai

3. Industry Approach and Response Measures3.1 Industry Best Practice

12

3. Industry Approach and Response Measures3.1 Industry Best Practice

Purpose: Avoid Deter Delay

Scope:1. Prior to transit

1.1 General Planning

1.2 Company Planning

1.3 Ship’s Master Planning

1.4 Voyage planning

1.5 Self Protective (Defensive) Measures (SPMs)

2. In transit

3. If attacked

4. If boarding

5. In the event of military action

13

3. Industry Approach and Response Measures3.1 Industry Best Practice

1. Prior to transit:

1.1 General Planninga) Information gathering:

• Dubai Maritime Trade Operations (Dubai-MTO)

• Maritime Security Centre – Horn of Africa (MSC – HOA)

• IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

• Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF- HOA)

• Maritime Liaison Office – Bahrain (Marlo – Bahrain)

• Industry bodies: INTERTANKO, INTERCARGO, ICS, BIMCO...

14

3. Industry Approach and Response Measures3.1 Industry Best Practice

1. Prior to transit:

1.1 General Planninga) Information gathering

b) Risk Assessment• Attack Profiles and Lessons Learnt

• Common vulnerabilities

– Crew safety

– Low freeboard

– Speed

– Prevailing weather

– Time of transit

– Piracy activity

15

3. Industry Approach and Response Measures3.1 Industry Best Practice

1. Prior to transit:

1.1 General Planninga) Information gathering

b) Risk Assessment

c) Register with MSC HOA– 30% of all vessels transiting the GoA are “NOT” registered with

MSCHOA or reporting to MTO-Dubai

– To date 23 vessels Hijacked were not registered with MSCHOA and not reporting positions

16

% of INTERTANKO Members Registered with MSCHOA -April 2009

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

16th January 20th January 27th January 9th February 30th April

By April 2009 - 52 % of INTERTANKO Members were registered with MSCHOA

Expected capture rate approximately 60% but all members should register

3. Industry Approach and Response Measures3.1 Industry Best Practice

17

3. Industry Approach and Response Measures3.1 Industry Best Practice

1. Prior to transit:

1.2 Company Planninga) Implementation of the Ship Security Plan (SSP)

a) Review of ISPS requirements – Ship Security Assessment and Plan (SSA / SSP)

b) Contingency planning by Company Security Officer (CSO)

c) Training of crew by Master and Ship Security Officer (SSO) – prior to passage

b) Information gathering and high risk awareness

c) Crisis management procedures (industry and IMO)

18

3. Industry Approach and Response Measures3.1 Industry Best Practice

1. Prior to transit:

1.3 Ship’s Master Planninga) Report to Dubai-MTO

b) Ship board drills of contingency plan

c) Preparation of emergency communication

• The Maritime Trade Operations Dubai (MTO Dubai)

• The Maritime Security Centre Horn of Africa (MSCHOA)

• The International Maritime Bureau (IMB)

• Company Security Officer (CSO)

d) Define the ship’s AIS policy

19

3. Industry Approach and Response Measures3.1 Industry Best Practice

1. Prior to transit:

1.4 Voyage Planninga) Registered with MSC HOA and report to MTO Dubai

b) Avoid Yemini Territorial Waters

c) Internationally recognised Transit Corridor (IRTC)

d) Group Transits

e) Outside the Gulf of Aden

a) ~600 miles off Somali coast

b) Continue reporting to MTO Dubai

20

3. Industry Approach and Response Measures3.1 Industry Best Practice

1. Prior to transit:

1.4 Self Protective (Defensive) Measures (1)a) Watchkeeping and Enhanced Vigilance

• Additional lookouts• Early detection• Night vision binoculars’• Enhanced radar and radio watch

Strategically placed dummies can give the impression of greater

numbers of crew on watch

21

3. Industry Approach and Response Measures3.1 Industry Best Practice

1. Prior to transit:

1.4 Self Protective (Defensive) Measures (2)b) Security guards

• No arming of ship’s crew• Private security services acceptable• Private armed guards - quality controls / legal aspects? • Government armed guards at owner’s discretion. Preferably from flag state• Unclarified legality/jurisdicion in case of crew member or pirate being killed

by mistake/damage to ship/insurance

c) Closed circuit television (CCTV)

• Vulnerable areas of vessel• Protected positioning of CCTV monitors• Recorded CCTV footage as evidence

22

3. Industry Approach and Response Measures3.1 Industry Best Practice

1. Prior to transit:

1.4 Self Protective (Defensive) Measures (3)d) Piracy Attack Crew Muster Point

• food and water• toilet facilities• 2 independent means of communication with the bridge (eg radio and

telephone)• fire fighting equipment• first aid equipment• portable lighting• CCTV monitor• list of ship’s crew

23

3. Industry Approach and Response Measures3.1 Industry Best Practice

1. Prior to transit:

1.4 Self Protective (Defensive) Measures (4)e) Alarms

f) Upper deck lighting

f) Ships Tools and Equipment

g) Protection of Equipment

h) Access Control

i) Bridge Protection

Security glass film protects against flying glass

24

3. Industry Approach and Response Measures3.1 Industry Best Practice

1. Prior to transit:

1.4 Self Protective (Defensive) Measures (5)k) Physical Barriers

Razor wire and steam piping

Full risk assessment should be carried out before the

implementation of any physical barriers

Access to fire exit routes and life saving craft and

appliances must be maintained.

25

3. Industry Approach and Response Measures3.1 Industry Best Practice

1. Prior to transit:

1.4 Self Protective (Defensive) Measures (6)l) Water spray and foam monitors

Use of baffle plates Hoses rigged in fixed position and remotely activated

26

3. Industry Approach and Response Measures3.1 Industry Best Practice

2. In transit:– Group Transit through the IRTC– Relevant speed– Maintain vigilance and look out for suspicious craft

Typical vessels used as mother ships Typical skiff used in a pirate attack

27

3. Industry Approach and Response Measures3.1 Industry Best Practice

3. If attacked:– Follow pre-planned Contingency Plan

– Activate Ship Security Alert System

– AIS must be switched on

– Maintain evasive manoeuvring measures and speed

4. If boarded:– Remain calm

– Stay together

– Offer no resistance

– Cooperate with the pirates

5. In the event of military action– Do not use cameras

– Keep low, cover head and make hands visible

– Prepare to answer questions about identity

28

Key Coordinating Bodies – essential work being undertaken:• EU NAVFOR – Coordinating authority for MSC HOA• MSC HOA – Deployment of Merchant Navy Liaison Officer• MTO–Dubai – Industry liaison with the Combined Military Forces

(CMF)

IRTC system – Maximises assets available– Provides safety in numbers– Ships grouped (slow first/fast behind)– Maritime patrol aircraft widen the operational area of naval assets

and quicken response times in the event of an attack– New ATALANTA aircraft patrols in Indian Ocean

4. Industry and Naval Coordination

29

Forthcoming Additional Measures1. Anti-Piracy Chart

Routing chart imminent from MSCHOA:• Weather Guidance will be provided• Reporting instructions included• Plotting Capabilities• Relevant Information & Guidance

3. Navigational WarningsMSCHOA worked with Staff Officers at UKHO to improve promulgation of the voluntary reporting procedures. They also aim to update relevant Notices to Mariners.

2. Self Protection MeasuresMSCHOA compiling a database of self protection measures used by merchant shipping in the region.  Aim to establish what works and what doesn't across the range of ship types

4. Industry and Naval Coordination

30

5. Solutions: Industry views on future solutions

Industry• BMP needs promulgation to all ships – 80% attacks using by SPMs

• Updating of BMP

• Commercial considerations– Routing– Charter Party clauses

Governments• provide/maintain sufficient military assets

• ensure coordinated approach among military assets for effective protection and response

• ensure single/compatible rules of engagement

• develop legal authority to prosecute captive pirates

• develop long-term solution on land - solve problem at root not just fight symptoms

31

THANK YOU

For more information, please visit:

www.intertanko.com www.poseidonchallenge.com

www.shippingfacts.comwww.maritimefoundation.com