Revised Industry Counter Piracy Guidance

18 April 2022 |  C22020

The Maritime Safety Committee, at its 103rd session, approved the revisions the Industry Counter Piracy Guidance.

NOTICE TO
Ship Owners/ Managers/ Operators | Surveyors/Auditors

The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), at its 103^rd session, approved the amendments on the Revised Industry Counter Piracy Guidance, as per MSC.1/Circ.1601/Rev.1. The revised Circular replaces Annex 3 with revised BMP West Africa guidance, issued by industry in March of 2020.

Ship Owners / Managers and Operators are invited to take note of:

1. Annex 1 – Global Counter Piracy Guidance for companies, masters and seafarers;
2. Annex 2 – the revised Best Management Practices (BMP5); and
3. Annex 3 – protection against piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea region;

and advise the shipboard personnel employed or engaged on such ships, to act accordingly.

The Guidance provided in Annex 1 is intended to support existing IMO guidance, namely the Recommendations to Governments for preventing and suppressing piracy and armed robbery against ships (MSC.1/Circ. 1333/Rev.1), the Guidance to shipowners and ship operators, shipmasters and crews on preventing and suppressing acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships (MSC.1/Circ.1334) and resolution MSC.324(89) on Implementation of Best Management Practice Guidance, and is complementary to regional initiatives which provide more detailed guidance specific to the threat in a particular region.

The approved Circular and any revisions supersede MSC.1/Circ.1339.

BMP West Africa

The Best Management Practices to Deter Piracy and Enhance Maritime Security off the Coast of West Africa including the Gulf of Guinea aims to help ships plan their voyage and to detect, avoid, deter, delay and report attacks. Experience has shown that application of the recommendations in the publication makes a significant difference to the safety of seafarers.

The BMP contained in the publication mitigate the risk from piracy and armed robbery. However, differences in attack methods from other threats may require other forms of mitigation. The consequences of not adopting effective security measures can be severe. Some pirates have subjected crew to violence and other ill treatment and extended periods of captivity. Other attacks have demonstrated an intent to damage ships, seize the cargo and endanger life.

Act now

Shipowners / Managers / Operators of ships engaged in international trade in high-risk areas, should take into consideration the Revised Industry Counter Piracy Guidance to avoid possible piracy attacks and similar circumstances.