Best Managment Practice for the Gulf of Aden and off Somalia.

In an effort to counter Piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off the east coast of Somalia industry bodies including the International Maritime Bureau have published the Best Managment Practice (BMP) guidelines. Please click here to download a copy of the BMP pdf (Updated 24 August 2009).

All ships transiting waters around Somalia and Gulf of Aden (Updated 29 January 2010)

29.01.2010: 1354 UTC: A previously hijacked vehicle carrier with blue hull and white superstructure which is still under the pirates control, was in position 05:17N - 050:31E, on a course of 140 and doing 15 knots. It is assessed pirates are using this vessel for their activities. 

Vessels are advised not to approach closer than 100 miles from the position given in this report and maintain maximum CPA with any ship acting suspiciously.

All vessels navigating in the Indian Ocean should consider keeping east of 60E when routing north/south and should consider routing east of 60E and south of 10S when proceeding to and from ports in South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya.

Merchant vessels transiting this area are requested to report any suspicious activity to
UKMTO Dubai (+97 1505523215 – ukmto@eim.ae" mailto:ukmto@eim.ae">ukmto@eim.ae">ukmto@eim.ae) 
IMB PRC (+60 320310014 – imbkl@icc-ccs.org" mailto:imbkl@icc-ccs.org">imbkl@icc-ccs.org">imbkl@icc-ccs.org / piracy@icc-ccs.org" mailto:piracy@icc-ccs.org">piracy@icc-ccs.org">piracy@icc-ccs.org).
Reports can also be relayed to MSCHOA (opscentre@mschoa.org" mailto:opscentre@mschoa.org">opscentre@mschoa.org">opscentre@mschoa.org).

The description of some of the suspected pirate mother ships are as follows - long white, Russian made stern trawlers with names "BURUM OCEAN or ARENA or ATHENA".

Source: Coalition Forces