1 The Maritime Safety Committee, at its seventy-eighth
session (12 to 21 May 2004), considered various matters relating to
ship security alerts and response to distress/security double alerts
and adopted, with respect to the provisions of SOLAS regulations XI-2/6 and XI-2/7, which will enter into force on 1 July 2004, the guidance
set out in the attached annex.
2 Member Governments and international organizations
are invited to bring this circular to the attention of their maritime
rescue co-ordination centres (MRCCs), shipowners, ship operators,
companies, masters and ships’ personnel and all parties concerned
responsible for the implementation of special measures to enhance
maritime security.