Merchant vessel reported coming under attack
US Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) has issued the following advisory:
A merchant vessel reported coming under attack at 0412Z on 31 May 2011 in position 13:32N – 042:41E, approximately 84nm from Bab el Mendeb Strait in the Red Sea. This area will remain high risk for at least the next 24-48 hours.
The Administration urges all vessels operating in the High Risk Area to actively implement recommended Best Management Practices for anti-piracy measures as follows:
– Prepare the crew (refer to Marshall Islands MG-2-11-12);
– Harden the ship before the ship enters the High Risk Area (HRA);
– When entering the HRA from the direction of either the Suez Canal, the Arabian Gulf at 26N, the south at 15S or from the east at 78E:
- Register the ship with the MSCHOA (http://www.mschoa.org /+44 (0) 1923 958545);
- Report to the UKMTO ([email protected] / +971 505 523 215); and
- Continue to provide daily reports of ships position, course, speed and estimated and actual arrival times to UKMTO while in the HRA.
– Remember, the ship must be registered with the MSCHOA and report to the UKMTO with every intended transit of the HRA;
– Participate in the SSRS service (http://ssrs.org);
– Utilize the IRTC in the GoA;
– For low and slow ships, join pre-scheduled military escorted convoys through the GoA;
– Avoid navigating through the Mozambique Channel whenever possible;
– Continue to maintain a heightened state of awareness;
– Maintain strict 24 hour anti-piracy visual and radar watches; and
– Report all attacks and suspicious sightings to the UKMTO, MARLO, COMUSNAVCENT or IMB Piracy Reporting Centre.
Source: US Office of Naval Intelligence