Recent attacks against merchant shipping in the Gulf of Aden and Bab Al Mandeb have highlighted the risks associated with transiting these waters. In response, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) are establishing a Maritime Security Transit Corridor (MSTC).
The MSTC will consist of:
- The Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC)
- The BaM Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) and the TSS West of the Hanish Islands
- A two-way route directly connecting the IRTC and the BAM TSS
All these sections combined as a whole will be termed ‘the MSTC’. The purpose of this corridor is to provide a recommended merchant traffic route around which Naval Forces can focus their presence and surveillance efforts.
The formation of the MSTC has no effect on the use or timings of Group Sails or escorted transits of the IRTC. These will continue to be scheduled and executed as they have in the past. The IRTC end points will remain existent.
Operating in these waters requires thorough planning and the use of all available information. It is essential therefore, that Masters, Ship Security Officers and Company Security Officers carry out detailed Risk Assessments for each voyage to the region and for each activity within the region.
All vessels transiting the Gulf of Aden and Bab Al Mandeb should follow the guidance of BMP4 to the maximum extent possible and consider the use of embarked armed security. Recent piracy attacks in 2017 serve to emphasise the importance of robustly following this guidance.
Neutral merchant vessels have never been targeted in the TSS east of Hanish Islands. To route all traffic in to the west TSS, will have a negative impact due to an increase the traffic density.
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