SHIPPING INDUSTRY TO REMOVE INDIAN OCEAN HIGH RISK AREA
Piracy originated in Somalia is suppressed thanks to the continuous presence and effort of naval forces, as well as the action of private sector and a huge effort in the implementation of ship protection measures by shipping and fishing companies, as outlined by Best Management Practice (BMP5). Piracy-related events have been declining with no attacks registered since 2019, when EU NAVFOR ATALANTA disrupted a piracy attack on FV ADRIA and FV TXORI ARGI, arresting five suspects and releasing the crew of a dhow used as mothership.
After the announced removal of the HRA from the 1st of January 2023, EU NAVFOR ATALANTA will continue to strongly recommend and fully support Shipping Industry in the implementation of BMP5, and echoes its statement on the need to include Reporting to UKMTO and Registration to the Maritime Security Centre – Horn of Africa (MSCHOA) as part of voyage planning and execution.
EU NAVFOR ATALANTA’s mandate is not related to the existence of the HRA. Together with CMF, ATALANTA will continue to provide threat assessments to inform Company Security Officers when planning passage across the Voluntary Reporting Area (VRA) as piracy is supressed but not yet eradicated.
In that spirit, CMF and ATALANTA’s biannual SHADE conference will be, one more time, the unique forum to discuss any implications for the maritime security regime in the Gulf of Aden, developed by international navies in an unparalleled coordination and de-confliction process that began in 2009. ATALANTA will chair the next iteration of SHADE, on November 2022.
In a complex and fast evolving scenario, with more maritime security threats arising, EU NAVFOR ATALANTA’s commitment to the safety and security of seafarers will remain intact.
Source & Photo : EUNAVFOR
