Tag: maritime security

On June 23 - July 4, the US Coast Guard, in collaboration with US Border Patrol and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, conducted a joint operation to help synchronize a joint response to threats, while maintaining and increasing the security of borders between the two countries.

Although international donors have provided significant assistance, there are still no reliable regional maritime domain awareness structures in the Western Indian Ocean. In view of this, the EU Institute for Security Studies issued a policy brief identifying opportunities through low-tech solutions, human resources and collaboration for improvement of awareness in the region.

The US and Philippine navies completed a coordinated patrol in the Sulu Sea, at the invitation of Philippine government, on July 1st. The aim was to strengthen maritime security cooperation between the two countries' navies and to enhance their ability to respond to piracy and transnational criminal activity at sea, in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

At the Port Security Technology conference in London, IMO stressed that economic stability and sustainable development can be driven by an integrated approach to the maritime sector, including ports, maritime security and facilitation of maritime traffic. Joined-up government policies covering the whole of the maritime sector are critical for the port sector to flourish.

Australia will resume the Senate Inquiry into Flag of Convenience Shipping. The inquiry comes in the wake of double murder findings by the NSW Coroner, investigating the deaths of two foreign seafarers aboard MV Sage Sagittarius in Australia, in 2012.

The Port of Charleston in the US is now open again following its evacuation due to a threat of a 'dirty bomb' onboard the Maersk Memphis container ship, USCG officials confirmed that no threat found. Also, the safety zone which had been established around the vessel for the investigation, has been lifted.

Combined Maritime Force recently visited the Dubai-based UKMTO to discuss security issues with global maritime industry representatives, attending the Maritime Information Exchange Vessel Operators Meeting. MIEVOM is a valuable opportunity for merchant vessel owners to discuss ways to collaborate more closely with military naval officers to maintain safe seas and pirate-free waters off Somalia.

Africa Center issued a report, entitled "Criminality in Africa’s Fishing Industry: A Threat to Human Security", where it informs that the weak accountability of Africa’s fisheries sector enables unsustainable exploitation by foreign fishing firms and undercuts the political will needed to build more robust surveillance and prosecutorial capacity.

US MARAD issued a Maritime Advisory, providing guidance to U.S. flagged operators with vessels transiting the Gulf of Guinea. As pirates/ armed groups operating in the GoG region continue to carry out attacks on vessels, using automatic weapons, US MARAD strongly recommends operators to forward this Advisory to their ships.

Politicians, industry stakeholders and maritime Flagship Projects agree on the need to focus on cross-sectorial cooperation, education and training, as well as enforcement of regulations, to turn the region into a leading clean and safe shipping region. This was the outcome of a seminar held in Brussels, on 30 May, under the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region.