For vessels registered under NIS and NOR flag
We refer to our Loss Prevention Circular No. 02-10: Counter piracy – Follow best management practices (BMP) and can now advise that the Norwegian Maritime Directorate issued a Circular on 8 June 2011 noting, inter alia, that, as from that date, it is mandatory for ships registered under the NIS or the Norwegian flag operating in the piracy High Risk Area as defined in Best Management Practices, version 3, to register with the Maritime Security Centre, Horn of Africa (MSCHOA) and to report to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) office in Dubai. The registration
form can be found at www.mschoa.org
The mandatory registration and reporting requirements are made pursuant to paragraph 6 A in the Norwegian Regulation 972/2004 concerning security and terrorism preparedness on board ships and mobile drilling units.
All members with ships passing through the High Risk Area are recommended to register with MSCHOA and report to UKMTO, but it is now a statutory requirement for ships flying the NIS or Norwegian flag to do so.
Members with NIS or NOR-flagged ships sailing within or through the defined high risk areas are alerted that it is a condition of the P&I insurance that the Member shall comply or procure compliance with all statutory requirements of the state of the Ship’s flag relating to, inter alia, the safe operation,security and management of the ship. See Gard Rule 8.1.f in this regard. A failure to comply with the requirement to register with MSCHOA and report to UKMTO would prima facie amount to a breach of the statutory requirements for such ships, which may prejudice the P&I cover.
Source: The Gard P&I Club
