Panama Maritime Authority shared a Marine Circular to inform about the recent amendment of the High Risk Area (HRA) description in Section 2 of BMP4 that is effective from December 1, 2015.
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”.
For this reason and taking into consideration the last incident reports of the Panamanian flagged vessels, the following areas are considered to continue to suffer attacks and robberies. Given the aforementioned, the Administration will also consider the following, as High Risk Areas:
-Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent
- Indonesia: Belawan, Dumai, Karimun Kecil/Besar, Pulau Nipah, Pulau Takong Kecil, Jakarta /Tanjung Priok, Muara Berau, Pulau Bintan, Batam and Taboneo. Malacca Strait
- Malaysia: Tanjung Piai, Bandar Penawar and Johor.
- Philippines: Celebes Sea, Sibutu Island, Tawi Tawi, Sulu Sea and Eastern Sabah.
- Singapore Straits: Thailand, South China, Sea Vietnam: Vung Tau
- Bangladesh: Chittagong, kutubdia and Chittagong Anchorage.
- India: Kandla, Kochi, Visakhapatnam and East of Alang
-Africa and Red Sea
- Somalia waters – Eastern and Northeastern Coast.
- Ghana: Takoradi
- Angola: Luanda
- Guinea: Gulf of Guinea, Conakry
- Egypt
- Benin: Cotonou
- Gulf of Aden
- Gabon: Libreville
- Cameroon
- Dem. Rep. of Congo
- Ivory Coast: Abidjan Conakr
- Sierra Leone
- Kenya
- Liberia
- Mozambique: Mocinboa Da Praia Nigeria: Lagos / Bayelsa / Brass / Bonny Island / Port Harcurt
- Red Sea
- The Congo: Pointe Noire and Northern Somali Coast in the Gulf of Aden and
- Southern Red Sea in the Bab El Mandeb
- Togo: Lome
- Sao Tome and Principe: Sao Tome Island
South, Central America, and the Caribbean waters
- Colombia: Cartagena
- Haiti: Port Au Prince Jamaica
- Venezuela: Puerto Jose, Puerto La Cruz Brazil: Macapa and Sau Francisco Do Sul Guyana
- Peru, Callao Anchorage
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuadorian Ports
- Mexico: Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Campeche, Tabasco, Puerto Dos Bocas
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.
Meanwhile, the circular stressed that incidents of vessels transiting the Celebes – Sulu Seas continue to be reported to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre. Most incidents are targeted towards vessels approaching / entering the Sibutu Channel, which is probably the only safe and navigable channel joining the Celebes Sea to the Sulu Sea. This Channel is also the shortest, north/south route from and to Australia and the Southern Indonesian Islands. The vessels targeted are; bulk carriers, general cargo ships, fishing vessels, tankers and tugs and barges – all of which do not have excessive speed capabilities or freeboards when loaded.
To reduce the risk, the IMB is advising owners and charterers to consider the recommendations in IMO circular MSC.1/Circ.1334 of June 23, 2009 as well as the Risk Assessment and vessel hardening procedures given in the Best Management Practices. Depending on the risk assessment, consideration could be given to routeing west of Kalimantan and straight into the South China Sea thus avoiding the Celebes / Sulu Sea altogether. The IMB appreciates that this will increases sailing time and thus costs, but we recommend this as a possible safer route.
The Authority also advises Captains to place the information of IMB Piracy Reporting Center in areas where there is communication such as the bridge, the engine room, citadel, among others.
