The pre-piracy/armed robbery phase
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC.1/Circular.1334 – Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships – (23 June 2009)Guidance to shipowners and ship operators, shipmasters and crews on preventing and suppressing acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships - Annex – Guidance to Shipowners, Companies1, Ship Operators, Shipmasters and Crews on Preventing and Suppressing Acts of Piracy1 and Armed Robbery1 Against Ships - Recommended practices - The pre-piracy/armed robbery phase

The pre-piracy/armed robbery phase

  13 Written procedures on how to prevent or suppress attacks of pirates and armed robbers should be found either in the ship’s Safety Management System or in the ship security plan.

  14 The entry into force of the ISPS Code and the ISM Code have made security assessments and risk assessments an integral part of the safety and security precautions. Measures to prevent and suppress piracy and armed robbery against ships should be part of either the emergency response procedures in the safety management system, or as a situation that requires increased alertness, should become a part of the procedures in the ship security plan.

  15 All ships operating in waters or ports where attacks occur should carry out a security assessment as a preparation for development of measures to prevent attacks of pirates or armed robbers against ships and on how to react should an attack occur. This should be included as a part of the emergency response procedures in the safety management system or a part of the procedures in the ship security plan. The security assessment should take into account the basic parameters of the operation including:

  • .1 the risks that may be faced including any information given on characteristics of piracy or armed robbery in the specific area;

  • .2 the ship’s actual size, freeboard, maximum speed, and the type of cargo;

  • .3 the number of crew members available, their proficiency and training;

  • .4 the ability to establish secure areas on board ship; and

  • .5 the equipment on board, including any surveillance and detection equipment that has been provided.

  16 The ship security planfootnote or emergency response procedures should be prepared based on the risk assessment, detailing predetermined responses to address increases and decreases in threat levels.

The measures should, inter alia, cover:

  • .1 the need for enhanced surveillance and the use of lighting, surveillance and detection equipment;

  • .2 controlling of access to the ship and the restricted areas on the ships by ships’ personnel, passengers, visitors, etc.;

  • .3 prevention of unauthorized intrusion by active and passive devices and measures, such as netting, wire, electric fencing, long-range acoustic devices, as well as the use, when appropriate, of security personnel on vessels transiting high-risk areas, and taking other measures to make it more difficult for pirates to board vessels. The safety of onboard personnel should always be taken into account when installing passive devices on board and awareness information should be provided;

  • .4 monitoring the security of the ship;

  • .5 crew responses, if a potential attack is detected or an attack is underway;

  • .6 the radio alarm procedures to be followed; and

  • .7 the reports to be made after an attack or an attempted attack.

Ship security plans or emergency response procedures should ensure that masters and crews are made fully aware of the risks involved during attacks by pirates or armed robbers. In particular, they should address the dangers that may arise if a crew adopts an aggressive response to an attack. Early detection of a possible attack may often be the most effective deterrent. Aggressive responses, once an attack is underway and, in particular, once the attackers have boarded the ship, could significantly increase the risk to the ship and those on board.

  17 In accordance with the ship security plan, all doors allowing access to the bridge, engine-room, steering gear compartments, officers’ cabins and crew accommodation should be secured and controlled in affected areas and should be regularly inspected. The use of surveillance equipment to monitor the areas as well as regular patrolling can be of merit. The intention should be to establish secure areas which attackers will find difficult to penetrate. Securing by locking or other means of controlling access to unattended spaces adjoining areas could also prove useful.

  18 The shipowner, company, operator and master should bear in mind, the seafarer’s need for shore leave and access to shore-based welfare facilities and medical care.

  19 It is important that any response to an incident is well planned and executed, and those involved should be as familiar as possible with a ship environment. Therefore, those responsible within the security forces for responding to acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships, whether at sea or in port, should be trained in the general layout and features of the types of ships most likely to be encountered and shipowners in consultation with the flag State should cooperate with the security forces in providing access to their ships to allow the necessary onboard familiarization.

Parent topic: Recommended practices
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