Command and control
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC.1/Circular.1443 – Interim Guidance to Private Maritime Security Companies Providing Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel on Board Ships in the High Risk Area1 – (25 May 2012) - Annex – Interim Guidance to Private Maritime Security Companies Providing Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel on Board Ships in the High Risk Area1 - 5 Deployment considerations - Command and control

Command and control

  5.6 PMSC should have a policy and procedures governing the command and control of PCASP on board a ship, and ensure that the PCASP is fully aware of them. In particular the policy and procedures should contain:

  • .1 a clear statement recognizing that at all times the master remains in command and is the overriding authority on board, and an agreed procedure in the event of the master being unavailable;

  • .2 a clearly documented set of ship and voyage-specific governance procedures, inter alia, covering procedures for the conduct of exercises and real incidents;

  • .3 a list of duties, expected conduct, behaviour and documentation of PCASP team actions on board; and

  • .4 a transparent two-way information flow and recognizable coordination and cooperation between the shipowner, charterer, PCASP, PMSC and the ship's master, officers and crew throughout deployment.

  5.7 Such a command and control policy and procedures could include, but are not limited to PMSC:

  • .1 provision of regular updated intelligence-based threat assessments throughout the contracted period on board, and use of this information to suggest, for example, amendments to the proposed route;

  • .2 monitoring of the daily activities of the onboard PCASP team;

  • .3 having a 24-hour emergency response and contingency plan in place covering all foreseeable actions; and

  • .4 head office provision of feedback on crew training and ship hardening requirements based on reports received from their onboard team.

Parent topic: 5 Deployment considerations
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