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The International Maritime
Organisation’s (IMO) maritime safety committee (MSC)
is urging governments and the shipping industry
to intensify as well as coordinate their efforts
to eradicate acts of piracy and armed robbery
against ships off the coast of Somalia.
The marine menace in Somalia has been one of the
major topics discussed at the IMO-MSC meeting
held earlier this month.
The MSC supported the action by the United
Nations Security Council (UNSC), in particular
the adoption of UNSC Resolution 1846, extending
for another twelve months, from Dec 2, the
authorization for states and regional
organizations to enter Somalia’s territorial
waters and to use “all necessary means” to
repress acts of piracy and armed robbery in
these waters.
Meantime, the IMO-led, sub-regional meeting for
states from the Western Indian Ocean, the Gulf
of Aden and the Red Sea areas, is to be held in
Djibouti, from Jan 26-29.
IMO said in a statement, the meeting would
consider a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU)
for regional co-operation to enhance maritime
security and combat piracy and armed robbery
against ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of
Aden.
It would also consider a draft regional
agreement concerning the repression of piracy
and armed robbery against ships in the wider
Western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden.
The MSC have also instructed a correspondence
group to consider the need for guidance to
seafarers should they be attacked, fired upon,
kidnapped or held hostage.
“The group will also discuss proposals on
practical measures to enhance the safety and
security of merchant ships against attack and to
examine the carriage of firearms or armed
personnel on board such vessels,” it said.
The number of acts of piracy and armed robberry
in the first nine months of this year was 214,
against 213 in the first nine months of 2007.
“Although the overall number of reported acts of
piracy and armed robbery against ships during
the period under review was virtually unchanged,
the decrease in the number of incidents in most
areas of the world had been negated by the sharp
increase in both number and severity of attacks
in waters off the coast of Somalia,” IMO said.
During the period under review, seven crew
members were killed, 20 crew members were
reportedly injured or assaulted, more than 430
crew members were reportedly taken hostage or
kidnapped and 29 ships were hijacked, largely
off the coast of Somalia.
The main task of the IMO is to develop and
maintain a comprehensive regulatory framework
for shipping in areas such as safety,
environmental concerns, legal matters, technical
cooperation, maritime security and shipping
efficiency.
A specialized agency of the United Nations with
168-member states and three associate members,
IMO is based in the United Kingdom with around
300 international staff. |
