TNAG-2897-FCO40-4171-Hong-Kong-piracy-in-the-South-China-Sea-1993 — Page 26

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In April 1992 the Maritime Safety Committee noted with great concern reports on the increasing ferocity and changing patterns being employed by pirates and armed robbers in their attacks and the injury to persons and financial loss they cause. It noted, in particular, the horrifying navigational hazards to ships often carrying dangerous cargoes and the potential danger to navigation and the marine environment these ships may pose if left unattended, while steaming at full speed and under attack by pirates or armed robbers in confined waters.

The MSC reiterated its deep concern at the continuing attacks or ships and their crews, particularly in:

.1

the South-East Asia (including the South China Sea and the Strait of Malacca);

.2 South America (North Eastern Section); and

.3 West Africa,

and renewed its request to Member Governments to report all attacks against ships flying their flags and to give as much detail of the incidents reported as possible using the format approved at the Committee's fifty-ninth session.

In addition, the Committee requested the Secretary-General to invite the coastal States in the area in which attacks had been reported to IMO to advise the sixty-first session of the MSC, which was held in December 1992, as to the measures they were taking to implement resolution A.545(13) "Measures to prevent acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships", and resolution A.683(17) - "Prevention and suppression of acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships".

To assist shipmasters in reporting piracy incidents and attacks against their ships expeditiously, the MSC invited Member Governments to consider nominating competent authorities in their Administrations to receive and process such reports. The names, addresses and means of contact of such authorities were requested to be provided to the Organization for circulation to Member Governments.

Because attacks on ships by pirates and armed robbers continued unabated in spite of all measures taken at international and national level, putting the lives of seafarers and passengers and the marine environment at immense risk, the Secretary-General, having consulted the MSC Chairman, took the initiative of issuing, in August 1992, MSC/Circ.597 inviting Member Governments to take additional measures to those previously recommended by the Committee, including utilization of search and rescue (SAR) services and mobilization, through the SAR services, of appropriate maritime authorities so that action could be taken to provide assistance to ships under attack or pursue the attackers with the minimum of delay.

It was, however, considered that further measures were still necessary at the intergovernmental level to prevent and suppress this sort of unlawful act, in particular in the Malacca Strait and adjacent areas, given its strategic importance as one of the busiest shipping lanes of the world, the increasing concern from the growing number of attacks and the potential for a major human and environmental disaster due to the confined nature of the areas concerned.

W/9181e