Combined Maritime Force (CMF) has recently visited the Dubai-based UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) to discuss security issues with global maritime industry representatives, attending the Maritime Information Exchange Vessel Operators Meeting (MIEVOM). MIEVOM is a valuable opportunity for merchant vessel owners to discuss ways to collaborate more closely with military naval officers from the international task forces working to maintain safe seas and pirate-free waters off Somalia.
The MIEVOM programme enabled the speakers to remind all parties that countering piracy is a collaborative effort between industry, militaries and wider regional security partners.
During his visit, Rear Admiral Tatsuya Fukuda JMSDF, Commander of Combined Task Force 151 (CTF151), was told that, by reporting to the UKMTO in Dubai, ship owners can have their vessels monitored throughout their transit of the High Risk Area. Advised to also register their transit with the Maritime Security Centre, Horn of Africa (MSCHOA), masters are able to discuss any specific risks associated with their vessel and its planned route.
Highlights Robert Buckham, representing Gulf Energy Maritime, noted: “If pirates are unable to board a ship, they can’t hijack it.” Upon conclusion of a busy programme in the UAE, RADM Fukuda said: “It was useful to see the work of the UKMTO, as the organisation makes a very valuable contribution to maritime security.” On the outcome of the MIEVOM conference, he added: “Compliance with the recommendations is the industry’s contribution to the shared effort to deter and defeat pirates.”
