Horn of Africa Piracy

As an industry facilitator to meet security challenges, one of the roles of the Maritime Administration is to provide useful information to both the private and public sectors in the event of a transportation crisis.

Piracy off the coast of Somalia escalated in 2008 causing a significant disruption to the Marine Transportation System (MTS), as well as endangering the life of merchant mariners. As part of the Maritime Administration action plan for addressing piracy off the Horn of Africa, pertinent information is consolidated on this site for easy access to current status and advice to counter-piracy and armed robbery. The information is intended to assist ship owners, operators, and other maritime industry representatives to be prepared to prevent seajackings.

For more specific information, a collaboration room may be accessed by registering on MarView and sending an e-mail to Mr. Robert Brown at robert.brown@dot.gov requesting access to the Somali Piracy collaboration web site once registered.

Countering Piracy Off The Horn Of Africa: Partnership & Action Plan

• Maritime Administration Advisories 
  • 2009-06: Gulf of Aden, Red Sea and Indian Ocean Transit
  • 2009-05: East Coast of Somalia and Gulf of Aden Transit
  • 2009-04: Gulf of Aden and Somalia  Basin Transit
  • 2009-02: Gulf of Aden/East Coast of Somalia Anti-Piracy Distress Calling Procedures
    
• NATO Shipping Centre
• Maritime Security Centre
• International Maritime Bureau
• NMIC/Worldwide Threats to Shipping
• Maritime Liaison Office (MARLO) - Bahrain
• Marshall Islands
• Liberia

• International Maritime Organization (IMO) Guidance Circular
• Somali Pirate Tactics Pamphlet
• Piracy-The East Africa/Somalia Situation (OCIMF)
• Best Management Practices to Deter Piracy (CGPCS/WG3)
• Anti-Piracy Assistance Team (APAT) Information Paper
• Surviving as a Hostage (United Nations)
  

• EU NAVFOR Somalia - Protection of Vessels of the World Food Program
• International Maritime Bureau - Piracy Reporting Center
• Maritime Liaison Office (MARLO), Bahrain Homepage - Gulf of Aden Commercial Maritime Concerns
• NATO/Maritime Component Command (MCC) Northwood - NATO Naval Forces in Region
• UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), Dubai - Maritime Trade Operations in Region
  
• MARLO-Bahrain Press Release 1-08-09 - Press Release regarding new task force CTF-151

• Economic Impact
• List of Ships Hijacked

• CGPCS Policy Statement
• Working Group 1
• Working Group 3

• MarView - Somali Piracy Collaboration Group
• United Nations Security Council - UN Resolutions Concerning Somali Situations
  • Secretary of State Statement
  • Summary - UN Security Council Resolution 1851
  • Summary - US Security Council Resolution 1846
    
• UNOSAT(satellite) - Maps with Somali Piracy Information
• Weather in Gulf of Aden - Current Weather Conditions
  • Gulf of Aden Weather - U.K. Navy Technical Bulletin
• U.S. Department of State
  • Secretary of State Statement - April 15, 2009
    

• Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation (02/04/09)
  Summary of Subject Matter; Honorable James L. Oberstar -Subcommittee; Captain Phil M. Davies-OCIMF; Dr. Peter Swift-Intertanko; Giles Noakes-BIMCO; James Caponiti-Maritime Administration; Peter Chalk-Rand Corp.;RADM William Baumgartner-USCG; RDML Ted N. Branch-USN; Hearing video
  
  
• House Armed Services Committee (03/09/09)
  U.S. Representative Ike Skelton-Committee; Vice Admiral William E. Gortney-USN; Michael Coulter-International Security Affairs; Karl Wycott-Bureau of African Affairs; Ambassador Stephen Mull-Department of State