Tag: revised HRA

When operating outside territorial seas or ports within the previously defined HRA shown on UKHO chart Q6099, all Liberian flagged vessels shall operate at security level II.

During 2022, shipping industry joined forces and launched several initiatives to support its Environmental, Social and Governance topics. As the industry is heading towards a more sustainable future, the challenges are many. Improving its image remains a top priority and ESG showcase the positive strides that shipping is making.

Diaplous Group has issued a white paper to inform about the complex environment of maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and to assess whether the High-Risk Area (HRA) is worth it to be maintained or abolished.

Shipping industry removed Kenya maritime waters within the Indian Ocean from the piracy red list, 12 years after it was designated a high-risk area.

Major shipping groups, including BIMCO, ICS, INTERCARGO, INTERTANKO, and OCIMF, announced an upcoming reduction of geographic boundaries of the ‘High Risk Area’ for piracy in the Indian Ocean, which will apply from 1 September 2021, as a consequence of a continued downward trend in Somali piracy. 

Diaplous Maritime Services has produced a White Paper on the issue of the HRA border reduction in the Indian Ocean, which includes a detailed threat analysis on Somali Based Piracy after taking into consideration a number of variables. The official position of Diaplous is that shipping companies should not become complacent in matters of maritime security, in order to prevent a resurgence of piracy and that BMP 5 standards should be followed at all times for Somali Basin & GoA transits.

The Round Table of international shipping associations plus the OCIMF representing the global shipping and oil industry have announced that the geographic boundaries of the 'High Risk Area' for piracy in the Indian Ocean have been reduced. The regional UKHO Maritime Security Chart, Q6099 will be updated by Notice to Mariners and a new version will be produced to reflect these changes which will take effect from 1 May 2019.  

Union Maritime released a statement in which it informs that its vessel, MT Barrett, a tanker which was at anchor off Benin, West Africa has not been heard from since late on Tuesday 9th January. The company alerted the local authorities on Wednesday and is now exploring all possible options and efforts as it monitor the situation.

The hijacking of a small Iranian fishing vessel off Somalia, was the latest incident in a series of hijackings in the so-called High Risk Area (HRA) off Somalia. Although the region had seen piracy incidents decreasing, in recent times they have been revived.

UKHO has published its 5th version of the Q6099 chart which includes the reduction in the size of the 'High Risk' area as agreed by the countries involved in the setting of limits.