The Panama Maritime Authority has issued a revised circular regarding the High Risk Area to include the recent amendments effective from December 1st, 2015.
The current HRA should be reduced in area to reflect the recent experience of ships in the Indian Ocean as well as available data provided by military headquarters.
The High Risk Area (HRA) is an area within the UKMTO designated as the Voluntary Reporting Area (VRA) where it is considered there is a higher risk of piracy and within which self-protective measures are most likely to be required.
According to the Merchant Marine Circular MMC-228, the Panama Maritime Authority defined HRA in point 4.1 “An area as defined in the BMP unless otherwise defined by the Flag State”.
All the Panamanian Flagged Vessels transiting through any of the above mentioned areas have to raise their Security Level according to their Ship Security Plan.
The Panama Maritime Authority encourages all our Ship-owners/Operators, Company Security Officers, Legal Representatives of Panamanian Flagged Vessels to have as a First Option, the use of the Best Management Practices (BMP), and the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC); MMC No.208.
All Panamanian flagged vessels are requested prior to transit, or leaving a port within the region, to follow the latest Best Management Practices (BMP) and to contact the local information centers for up to date instructions or transit and reporting.
The use of PCASP should not be considered as an alternative to Best Management Practices (BMP) and other protective measures. It is recommended that BMP be applied throughout the High Risk Area (HRA) and in the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) and be considered as the first, minimum, preventative option. Placing armed guards on board as a means to secure and protect the ship and its crew should only be considered after a risk assessment has been carried out.
Panama flagged vessels operating within the World Food Program in the Gulf of Aden (GoA) and Somali Basin shall implement as far practicable the BMP.
Further details may be found by reading the circular
