Advisory #: 2005-01
Date Issued: Dec 05 2008
To: MARINERS
Subject: THREAT INFORMATION AND MARITIME INDUSTRY REPORTING OF SUSPECTED/ACTUAL TERRORIST INCIDENTS

 

MARAD ADVISORY 05-01 (22 JUL 2005)

TO: OPERATORS OF U.S. FLAG AND EFFECTIVE U.S. CONTROLLED VESSELS AND OTHER MARITIME INTERESTS 

SUBJ: THREAT INFORMATION AND MARITIME INDUSTRY REPORTING OF SUSPECTED/ACTUAL TERRORIST INCIDENTS 

THIS MARAD ADVISORY UPDATES AND REITERATES INFORMATION TO THE MARITIME INDUSTRY AND VESSELS REGARDING SOURCES OF THREAT INFORMATION AND REPORTING OF HOSTILE INCIDENTS.   

1.   THE COAST GUARD’S NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER (NRC) SHOULD BE NOTIFIED OF ANY SUSPECTED DOMESTIC TERRORIST INCIDENT, PARTICULARLY THOSE AFFECTING TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS IN ADDITION TO OIL AND HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE RELEASES.  ALL REPORTS OF SUSPECTED OR ACTUAL INCIDENTS ARE TO BE REPORTED TO THE NRC AT 800-424-8802 OR 202-267-2675.  SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY SHOULD ALSO BE REPORTED TO THE LOCAL FBI OFFICE.  THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE LISTS TELEPHONE NUMBERS FOR ALL THE FBI FIELD OFFICES: HTTP://WWW.FBI.GOV/CONTACT/FO/FO.HTM.  

2.   HOSTILE ACTIONS DIRECTED AT MERCHANT SHIPPING ARE A PRESENT AND GROWING PROBLEM.  THESE HOSTILE ACTIONS INCLUDE PIRACY, THEFT AND TERRORISM.  IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH A RELIABLE DATABASE OF INCIDENTS TO DEFINE THE AREA AND DEGREE OF THE PROBLEM, A DATABASE HAS BEEN INSTITUTED BY THE NATIONAL GEOSPATIAL-INTELLIGENCE AGENCY’S (NGA) AS THE ANTI-SHIPPING ACTIVITY MESSAGES (ASAM) FILE.  THIS FILE CAN BE ACCESSED VIA THE INTERNET AT NGA’S MARITIME SAFETY INFORMATION WEBSITE: HTTP://POLLUX.NSS.NGA.MIL.  ANOTHER EXCELLENT THREAT ASSESSMENT REPORT PRODUCED WEEKLY BY THE OFFICE OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE (ONI) IS THE ONI WORLDWIDE THREAT TO SHIPPING.  THIS REPORT IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE NGA WEBSITE.     

3.   NGA HAS ALSO ESTABLISHED SHIP HOSTILE ACTION REPORT (SHAR) PROCEDURES TO RAPIDLY DISSEMINATE INFORMATION WITHIN THE U.S. GOVERNMENT ON HOSTILE ACTIONS AGAINST U.S. MERCHANT SHIPS.  THE PROCEDURES FOR SENDING SHAR REPORTS ARE DETAILED IN NGA PUBLICATION 117, RADIO NAVIGATIONAL AIDS, EDITION 2005, ON PAGE 4-15.  THE MARITIME ADMINISTRATION (MARAD) URGES ALL VESSELS TO CARRY PUB 117, WHICH CAN ALSO BE DOWNLOADED FROM NGA’S ABOVE LISTED WEBSITE. 

4.   IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT NEITHER THE ASAM NOR SHAR REPORTS ARE A DISTRESS MESSAGE.  U.S. AND EFFECTIVE U.S. CONTROLLED (EUSC) VESSELS UNDER ATTACK OR THREAT OF ATTACK MAY REQUEST DIRECT ASSISTANCE FROM U.S. NAVAL FORCES BY FOLLOWING THE EMERGENCY CALL-UP PROCEDURES IN CHAPTER 4, PART II OF PUB 117. 

5.   ALL U.S.-FLAG VESSELS REQUIRED BY MARAD REGULATION, AGREEMENT, OR THOSE WHO VOLUNTARILY FILE AMVER POSITION REPORTS, ARE REMINDED OF THE IMPORTANCE IN FILING VOYAGE AND UPDATE REPORTS.  THOSE SHIPS OPERATING IN THE NORTH ARABIAN SEA, GULF OF OMAN, PERSIAN GULF, GULF OF ADEN, RED SEA AND THE SUEZ CANAL ARE REMINDED TO FILE AMVER POSITION UPDATE REPORTS EVERY 24 HOURS VICE EVERY 48 HOURS. 

6.   ALL U.S.-FLAG OPERATORS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD THIS ADVISORY TO THEIR SHIPS BY THE MOST EXPEDIENT MEANS.  THIS ADVISORY WILL SUBSEQUENTLY BE LISTED IN NGA’S WEBSITE, AS WELL AS MARAD’S WEBSITE:

      HTTP://WWW.MARAD.DOT.GOV/HEADLINES.  

7.   THIS ADVISORY CANCELS AND REPLACES MARAD ADVISORIES 01-07, 02-05,   02-07 AND 03-04. 

8.   FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ADVISORY, CONTACT THE MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, OFFICE OF SHIP OPERATIONS, CODE MAR-613, ROOM 2122, 400 7TH STREET, WASHINGTON, DC  20590; TELEPHONE 202-366-5735, OR BY E-MAIL TO OPCENTR1@DOT.GOV