This time of the year always gives a great opportunity to consider lessons learned and set new year’s resolutions for new beginnings. For that matter, Lt. CDR. Diego Cánovas-Cánovas, Special Advisor for the Shipping Industry, European Union Naval Force Operation Atalanta, makes an assessment of 2021 and shares his message for the new year across the global maritime community.
SAFETY4SEA: How would you briefly describe 2021? What is your assessment?
Diego Cánovas-Cánovas: No doubt that resilience is the word that best describe 2021, especially for seafarers, who still see very low levels of vaccination, and difficulties for crew replacement. Also, international navies in counter-piracy operations, as well private maritime security, have been forced to keep COVID19-related procedures to deliver operational output at the highest possible level.
While piracy threat in the Horn of Africa remains low, the attack on MV MERCER STREET depicts a new scenario with regard to the maritime insecurity in the region, by adding a new threat to the existing ones considered so far.
This year has witnessed important changes, like the HRA revision process started by the Shipping Industry. Although the process is absolutely plausible, and a new approach to better inform company security officer’s risk assessments is necessary, it is also essential to explain that process in detail to avoid undesired misperceptions.
S4S: What were the lessons learned for the maritime industry in 2021 and what to keep for the new year moving forwards?
DCC: The Suez Canal blockade in March not only revealed vulnerabilities associated with strategic passages, but also triggered quick assessments base on the worst scenario, marked by a potential increase in opportunities for pirates derived from diversion and possible decrease in the use of PCAST.
Maritime industry will be still navigating across troubled waters new year, so anticipation, flexibility and quick re-assessment of risk leading to the most appropriate response in case of incidents must be kept.
S4S: Focusing on your area of expertise, what do you think that will be the biggest challenge(s) for the industry in 2022?
DCC: Piracy in the Horn of Africa has been suppressed because of the great efforts that both the shipping industry and the navies operating in the region have made, working together, shoulder to shoulder, in a partnership based on trust, as never before had been seen. These efforts can serve as a model for other regions. But evolving maritime security scenarios and the revision of concepts that have been developed in the context of a dramatic surge of piracy may pose a “risky” situation if we do not take into account that the drivers are still there.
Piracy is a land-based crime. We should accommodate our procedures to the new situation, but also must be ready to quickly react in case of a re-surge in piracy. Suppressing opportunities will minimize, or suppress, threats. There is no room for complacency when it comes to the security of our seafarers.
S4S: What would be the new year’s resolutions for your organization?
DCC: EU NAVFOR’s new year’s resolutions are always making a key contribution to the security of seafarers transiting across Western Indian Ocean Region and of course providing our full support to the Government of Somalia, within the framework of the EU integrated approach, to build a robust maritime security architecture, both at national and international level.
S4S: What are you looking forward to in 2022? What would you be most glad about seeing changing in the maritime industry next year?
DCC: As a Navy officer with 42 years in service I consider all seafarers as true comrades, and in this vein, firts, I would like to see much higher figures in crew vaccination and a fast return to normality. Also, I would be most glad if the shipping industry keeps the close cooperation we have had so far, for the benefit of vulnerable vessels. That cooperation includes especially registration to MSCHOA Voluntary Registration Scheme when planning a transit across Western Indian Ocean Region.
S4S: If you could make one wish for the maritime industry for the year to come, what would you ask for?
DCC: The best of possible risk assessment for all fleets!
* * * New Year’s Resolutions for the Maritime Industry * * *
In 2022,
- We need to repeat...courage and resilience.
- We need to lose…security misperceptions
- We need to gain…stability.
- We can succeed by…cooperation.
The views presented are only those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.
