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RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS
1 Before embarking on any set of measures or recommendations, it is imperative for governmental or other agencies concerned to gather accurate statistics of the incidents of piracy and robbery at sea, to collate these statistics under both type and area and to assess the nature of the attacks with special emphasis on types of attack, accurate geographical location and modus operandi of the wrongdoers and to disseminate or publish these statistics to all interested parties in a format that is understandable and usable.
2
As
In any ongoing campaign against piracy and armed robbery, it is necessary, wherever possible, to neutralize pirates and armed robbers. these people are criminals under both international law and most national laws, this task will generally fall to the police and armed forces of the States involved.
3 The target "merchant ships" can and should take measures to protect themselves from pirates and armed robbers, and these measures are recommended in Chapter 4 and annexes 5, 6 and 7. While security forces can often advise on such measures, it is the responsibility of masters and shipowners/operators to take seamanlike precautions when their ships navigate in areas where the threat of piracy exists. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the flag State to ensure that owners and masters accept this responsibility.
4 It is also important for the ships to develop their own Action Plans spelling out what to do in the event of an attack. Because of the possibility of collision or grounding of a ship as a result of an attack, port authorities will need to develop plans to counter any subsequent oil spills or leakages of hazardous substances that the ship or ships may be carrying. This is especially important in areas of restricted navigation such as the channels and approaches to the Malacca, Phillips and Singapore Straits.
5 It is judged imperative that all attacks are reported immediately by radio to the nearest RCC or coast radio station and followed up by a more detailed written report.
6
On receipt of radio reports of an attack, the RCC or other agency involved must take immediate action to:
7
.1 inform the local security authorities so that contingency plans
(counter action) may be implemented; and
.2 warn shipping in the immediate area of the attack.
The recording and initial examination of reports is best done, wherever possible, by a central agency possessing the necessary skills and resources. In order to maintain the required credibility, both from Government and commercial sectors, such an agency must be accurate, authoritative, efficient and impartial in both its product and its dealings with others. It is judged that the organization best suited to this role is IMO itself, although the use of IMB's Regional Piracy Centre in Kuala Lumpur as a satellite for dissemination of information should also be considered.
W/9181e