3 Prior to Transit Voyage Planning
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC.1/Circular.1332 – Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Water off the Coast of Somalia – (16 June 2009) - Annex 1 – Best Management Practices to Deter Piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off the Coast of Somalia (February 2009) - Recommended Best Management Practices - 3 Prior to Transit Voyage Planning

3 Prior to Transit Voyage Planning

  a. Masters having registered their ship with MSCHOA should report to UKMTO before entering the GoA or passing the coast of Somalia.

  b. Inside the GoA

  • .1 EUNAVFOR strongly recommends that ships conduct their passage within the IRTC. Westbound ships should bias themselves to the northern portion of the corridor, and eastbound ships to the southern portion. Group Transit (GT) guidance within the GoA for times and speeds are on the MSCHOA web site, if a GT is contemplated.

  • .2 Ships should avoid entering Yemeni Territorial Waters (TTWs) while on transit. This is for reasons of customary international law, as it is not possible for international military forces (non Yemeni) to be able to protect ships that are attacked inside Yemeni TTW.

  • .3 Ships may be asked to make adjustments to passage plans to conform to MSCHOA routeing advice.

  • .4 During GTs ships should not expect to be permanently in the company of a warship. But all warships in the GoA, whether part of EUNAVFOR or coordinating with them, will be aware of the GoA GTs and will have access to the full details of vulnerable shipping.

  • .5 MSCHOA strongly recommends Masters make every effort to plan transit periods of highest risk areas of the GoA for night passage (MSCHOA will advise ships). Very few successful attacks have occurred at night.

  c. Outside the GoA

  • i. Ships transiting South and East of the Coast of Somalia to ports outside of East Africa should consider navigating to the east of Madagascar or (for guidance) maintain a distance of more than 600 nautical miles from the coastline.

  • ii. Masters should still update UKMTO in the usual manner with their ship course and details.

Parent topic: Recommended Best Management Practices
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