The third report in the Caught Red-Handed paper series analyzes expert opinions about threats to maritime security in the Western Indian Ocean. The survey includes the responses of 110 maritime security professionals. 80% of experts agreed that illegal fishing was a significant security threat to their countries and impacted the economy sector, as well as the local way of leaving.
Abu Dhabi Ports and the Mauritius Ports Authority, MPA signed a Memorandum of Understanding, to collaborate on improving the maritime sector across the Indian Ocean. The agreement varies from port infrastructure and security to protecting the environment and advancing the cruise industry.
The US Maritime Administration launched a MSCI Advisory informing about Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Indian Ocean violence due to regional conflict and piracy, highlighting that there’s still risks for commercial vessels operating in these areas.
The UK Hydrographic Office has presented Security of Navigation, Stabilisation Advice and Training to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Seychelles. The training is designed to improve maritime security and safety of navigation in the Indian Ocean by helping Seychelles share crucial maritime safety information with ships and partners in the region.
While speaking at the last SAFETY4SEA Conference in Cyprus, Mr. Dimitris Maniatis, Chief Commercial Officer, Diaplous Maritime Services, provided a recap of the current maritime security status, focusing on key high risk areas, such as the Indian Ocean region and West African waters. For the Gulf of Guinea, he stressed, Piracy and Maritime Aggression is never ending.
Charting the course for ocean sustainability in the Indian Ocean Rim is a report, sponsored by Environment Agency Abu Dhabi and the Department of Economic Development Abu Dhabi, highlighting key ocean challenges facing the Indian Ocean Rim countries. It also showcases initiatives carried out by governments and the private sector to address these challenges.
The Round Table of international shipping associations plus the OCIMF representing the global shipping and oil industry have announced that the geographic boundaries of the ‘High Risk Area’ for piracy in the Indian Ocean have been reduced. The regional UKHO Maritime Security Chart, Q6099 will be updated by Notice to Mariners and a new version will be produced to reflect these changes which will take effect from 1 May 2019.
Scientists will carry out a years-long mission to further explore the Indian Ocean. The scientists aim to document changes that are happening underneath the sea level, and that are able to impact billions of people in the region during the coming decades. The so-called ‘Nekton Mission’ will carry out dives in other parts of the Indian Ocean over the course of three years.
According to BBC’s Anne Soy, foreign navy powers have played a crucial role in handling piracy off Somalia’s coast. Somali territorial waters saw a rise in smuggling, illegal fishing by foreign trawlers, illegal dumping and later piracy. But 10 years ago, the European Union, Nato and others began to deploy naval forces to the region shortly after the UN Security Council allowed warships to enter Somali territorial waters. Pirate attacks have now all but stopped, after reaching a peak in 2011.
The Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) has embarked on training shippers and other maritime members on how to handle oils spills and other cases of pollution in the sea. The training also aimed at teaching on effective action to limit the damage that may result from oil pollution in the Lamu Indian Ocean and other places along the Coast region.
