Piracy: Boundaries of High Risk Area Reduced

The geographic boundaries of the ‘High Risk Area’ for piracy in the Indian Ocean have been reduced.

An industry group of shipping and oil industry organizations BIMCO, International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), INTERCARGO, INTERTANKO and the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) are responsible for setting the High Risk Area, and they emphasize that a serious threat remains despite the reduction to the area’s geographic boundaries and that correct reporting, vigilance and adherence to 5th edition of the best management practice (BMP5) remains crucial.

The reduction to the High Risk Area takes account of recent shipping industry experience, pirate intent and capability and follows extensive consultation with nations, collations and military naval forces, including Combined Maritime Forces, EUNAVFOR and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

The regional UKHO Maritime Security Chart, Q6099 will be updated by Notice to Mariners and a new version produced to reflect the changes which take effect from May 1, 2019.

The area previously classified as “high risk” forms only a part of the area called the Voluntary Reporting Area. Ships entering the Voluntary Reporting Area are encouraged to report to the UKMTO to be monitored during transit and register with the Maritime Security Centre for the Horn of Africa (MSCHOA). Pre-transit risk assessments should take into account the latest information from both the Voluntary Reporting Area and High Risk Area.

The new coordinates of the High Risk Area are:

In the Southern Red Sea: Northern Limit: Latitude 15 o 00’N

In the Indian Ocean a line linking:
From the territorial waters off coast of east Africa at Latitude 05^o 00’S to 050^o 00’E

Then to positions:

Lat: 00^o 00’N
Long: 055^o 00’E

Lat: 10^o 00’N
Long: 060^o 00’E

Lat: 14^o 00’N
Long: 060^o 00’E

Then a bearing 310^o to the territorial waters of the Arabian Peninsular.

Advice can be downloaded here.