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More Dutch MPs urged to approve armed guards on board ships
8th February 2016UK-based global trade union Nautilus International has joined the Royal Association of Dutch Shipowners and 14 other organisations from the maritime cluster to urge Dutch MPs to give the long-awaited go-ahead to the carriage of private armed guards on Dutch-flagged ships.
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More Beyond piracy what next for African maritime security
8th February 2016Since 2012, there has been an annual decline in the total number of reported attempted and actual attacks in the region. The decline has led to calls for reforms to four key international counter-piracy institutions in the new ‘post-piracy’ environment.
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More Pirates chase car carrier off Nigeria in first reported attack of 2016 in West Africa
22nd January 2016A gang of pirates chased and fired at a car carrier off the coast of Nigeria this week in what is believed to be the first pirate attack in the region in 2016.
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More While Somali piracy is in remission, other threats are multiplying
8th January 2016The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) recently sponsored a maritime security conference that provided participants with an update on piracy and other threats to shipping.
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More Islamic State fighters target Libya's main oil terminals
4th January 2016Islamic State militants clashed with security forces near Libya's Es Sider oil export terminal on Monday killing two guards, while an oil storage tank at nearby Ras Lanuf was set on fire during fighting there.
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More Worrying trend of cancelling or deferring African maritime conferences
2nd December 2015Institute for Security Studies (ISS) conflict management and peace building researcher Timothy Walker maintains the recent and sudden cancellation of the Maritime and Coastal Security conference and exhibition in Cape Town “adds to a worrying trend” of cancelled or deferred African maritime conferences, summits and symposiums.
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More Use of Nigerian Navy for private security remains subject to severe restrictions
24th November 2015The current practice of using Nigerian Navy (and Nigerian security forces in general) is coming under review by the Buhari presidency.
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More Djibouti Code of Conduct mandate extended
13th November 2015An international agreement that has been instrumental in repressing piracy and armed robbery against ships in the western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden is set to significantly broaden its scope, IMO said in its press release.
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More UN authorises trial of Somali pirates by regional states
11th November 2015The UN Security Council has passed a resolution authorising regional states to establish jurisdiction in trying pirates caught off the Somali coast.
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More UN Security Council Report on piracy off the coast of Somalia October 2014 to October 2015
3rd November 2015Main developments and trends re piracy off the coast of Somalia October 2014 to October 2015
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More The enabler of maritime security decision making
28th October 2015Over the past five years, the concept and practice of maritime security has emerged into the mainstream of political thinking and industry practice.
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More High risk area off Horn of Africa halved in size
9th October 2015Shipping associations have agreed to revise and make smaller the high risk area around the Horn of Africa. The changes take effect from December 1 and reflect the declining levels of piracy in the region and the fact pirates no longer make long distance forays for their prey.
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More Industry viewpoint that changes to the high risk area may be a high risk strategy
7th October 2015Moves to review the high risk area in the Indian Ocean could lead to a return to hijackings and hostage taking.
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More Are breaches of ISPS Code minimally significant
1st October 2015Maritime consultant Thomas Timlen explains why the downplaying breaches of international maritime security measures can have globally catastrophic consequences.
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More Advice on West African piracy issued
25th September 2015The UK P&I Club has issued practical guidance to members regarding piracy threats in West Africa.
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More Weapons found on car carrier in Kenya
23rd September 2015HOEGH Autoliners has confirmed that undeclared weapons were discovered aboard Höegh Transporter during a search at Mombasa over the past few days.
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More Guidance on the use of armed guards
13th September 2015In response to renewed interest in placing armed guards on board vessels because of an increase in pirate activity in certain areas of the world and new cases of cargo theft and crew kidnappings, The Shipowners Club has produced an Armed Guard Checklist.
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More Shipping is lagging behind most other industries when it comes to taking cybercrime seriously
18th August 2015Along with all the hype and talk about autonomous ships and big data has inevitably come a debate highlighting cyber-security and the risk of ships being deliberately steered off course.
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More In the game of maritime power politicking, is Africa the biggest loser
4th August 2015Djibouti seems set to become dangerously overcrowded with foreign military bases.
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More IONS working group examines counter piracy solutions
23rd July 2015The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium Counter Piracy Working Group gathered in Pretoria to look at counter piracy solutions for the Indian Ocean region.
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More Militarising the EU Migration Plan a flawed approach
7th July 2015The plan announced by EU foreign-policy chief in May to combat human smuggling in the Mediterranean demonstrated a failure of EU advisers, ministers and bodies to understand the entirety of the problem to be addressed, to seek relevant lessons on counter-migration policy, or to develop the kind of comprehensive approach that could stand a chance of working. Unfortunately, it seems that the initial plan put forward to the UN has become a cross that political and military leaders across Europe will now have to bear – and it will not work.
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More Sailors Society launches Crisis Response Centre to support seafarers affected by piracy
2nd July 2015Sailors’ Society, one of the largest seafarer support charities operating internationally, has launched a Crisis Response Centre to support seafarers in need throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
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More New EU project helps increase maritime security in the Indian Ocean
2nd July 2015The EU has launched a new project called EU CRIMARIO to tackle cross-border issues in the Indian Ocean by developing regional cooperation and coordination between maritime agencies. This project builds on the success of its predecessor, which led to the signature today of the Mombasa Protocol between Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania and Yemen, to increase cooperation on maritime security.
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More French Government supports fight against maritime crime in West Africa
15th June 2015The French government in collaboration with the United States of America government has set up a project dubbed Gulf of Guinea Maritime Security Sector Reform Support (ASECMAR) to help fight maritime crimes in West Africa. The project is expected to train Maritime administrators on the laws of the sea and to share information on maritime.
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More EU Naval Force mission in Mediterranean needs to be multi-agency in outlook
9th June 2015Strong liaison across different agencies, including the commercial shipping sector will need to be a central element in the EU’s plans to act against human traffickers in the Mediterranean says leading maritime security company MAST.
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More First trial starts before the Seychelles dedicated court for piracy and maritime crime cases
1st June 2015Following the April opening of a modern court complex in Seychelles that has special jurisdiction to handle piracy and maritime crime cases, the court started to hear its first case on Monday June 1 2015.
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More Shift to training regional forces as Somali piracy decreases
28th May 2015The three task forces of NATO Allied Maritime Command, together with allied forces, are helping Somali and neighbouring countries patrol their own waters as piracy incidents decrease following naval patrols and the adoption of best management practices. Nevertheless, anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden and Mozambique Channel continue.
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More EUCAP Nestor holds maritime security workshop in Mogadishu
26th May 2015On 26 May 2015 EUCAP Nestor and the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) co-hosted the second Workshop on maritime cooperation for maritime security and law enforcement agencies currently deployed along the Somali coast.
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More The escalating Mediterranean situation
20th May 2015With the EU approving the use of force against people-smugglers in Libya, Malta-based security expert Marshall Consultants investigates the maritime security threats that are forcing them to act.
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More Human trafficking in the Mediterranean increases need for maritime security measures
1st May 2015Ongoing humanitarian crises in the Mediterranean have focused the world’s media on the developing security context there. From a number of complex regional security situations – the conditions for human trafficking have emerged, and with them an acute concern for maritime security in the region.
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More Growing complacency could result in loss of life
29th April 2015The trend in maritime security is one of growing complacency that could result in loss of life.
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More Maritime Security at a crossroads
25th April 2015Western powers will not finance armed forces to patrol the Indian Ocean indefinitely. The maritime industry will price the risk according to the threat. The probability of piracy has diminished. The business of maritime security must adjust. As the perception of threat falls, so will the cost of protection. Competition will force prices down and many armed security companies will not survive. Some will merge. Consolidation is inevitable. Or so it seems.
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More NATO to open office in Djibouti to support anti-piracy efforts
23rd April 2015The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has agreed to establish a liaison office in Djibouti to boost anti-piracy efforts off the Horn of Africa.
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More Security level information Yemen and Libya raise of security level for Norwegian flagged vessels
9th April 2015Given the recent development in the areas in and around Libya and Yemen, the Norwegian Maritime Authority has decided to give instructions to SSOs and Masters on board Norwegian flagged vessels.
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More Yemen rebels strengthen their positions in the Bab el Mandeb
2nd April 2015Houthi rebels in Yemen have strengthened their positions on two islands in the strait of Bab el-Mandeb, deploying weapons that may put commercial and military vessels at risk, Djibouti’s foreign minister said.
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More Establishment of EU funded Maritime Security Centre in Seychelles
1st April 2015Seychelles is on track to establish a European Union-funded Operation Coordination Centre to promote maritime security
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More Pirates sentenced for attempted hijack of Danish tanker in 2013
17th March 2015Denmark failed to prosecute nine pirates for an attack on the Danish-flagged tanker Torm Kansas and ordered to pay the pirates 20,000 Danish crowns (approx $3,247) in damages. The same pirates have now been sentenced to 14 years in prison in the Seychelles, according to Danish news agency, Ritzau.
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More The African Quartet forging a new strategic partnership
16th March 2015Libya and Algeria in North Africa, and Nigeria and Angola in West Africa will become central to Europe’s energy security as it moves to sharply reduce its reliance on Russian oil and gas imports.
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More Huge step forward in tackling piracy in the Gulf of Guinea
13th March 2015The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission is to inaugurate the Multinational Maritime Coordination Centre (MMCC) for a maritime zone known as Pilot Zone E.
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More SAR crisis in the Mediterranean
11th March 2015As the humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean Sea is spiralling out of control, the ICS has published new Guidance on Large Scale Rescue Operations at Sea
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More UN reports that Libyan flow of weapons needs tighter controls including maritime monitoring
2nd March 2015A new UN report says Libya's ability to prevent the flow of weapons into and out of the chaotic country is "almost non-existent," and it calls for the tightening of an arms embargo that the government says must be loosened so it can defend itself.
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More Kuwaiti oil tanker fights off pirate attack
8th February 2015A Kuwaiti oil tanker sailing through the Gulf of Aden managed to fend off a pirate attack on Sunday, February 8th.
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More West Africa piracy issue to stay long term and may affect regional trade
6th February 2015The recent violent attack on the Malta-flagged VLCC MT Kalamos off the Nigerian coast has sparked a fresh round of talks in the shipping industry about the escalating piracy threat in West Africa and its potential implications.
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More BIMCO issues Gulf of Guinea security advisory
5th February 2015The purpose of this advisory is to highlight recent events in the region and reinforce guidance.
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More Nigeria to detain ships entering nation's territorial water with foreign guards
2nd February 2015The Nigerian Federal Government has said that it will not hesitate to detain any vessel entering the country territorial and coastal waters with security escorts on board, whether armed or unarmed.
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More International Legal Framework Governing Maritime Security Beyond UNCLOS
30th January 2015Are additional instruments needed to support UNCLOS in the maritime security threat and threat-response arena in order to provide sufficient legal basis to meet and regulate contemporary security responses at sea?
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More Maritime crime figures for 2014
26th January 2015The year ahead will doubtless present new challenges for the industry, but good preparation and consideration of the diverse range of threats will hopefully result in favourable, downward trends in maritime crime. Outside of the normal areas of maritime crime we are likely to see other risks from terrorism to civil strife.
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More Maritime security should not be ignored
22nd January 2015The world maritime transportation system (MTS) plays an important role for the national economy. The security of this system–which includes ports, the littorals, and the nation’s Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ) into the world’s global maritime commons–is absolutely critical. The important thing to keep in mind is that this “layered” framework, which starts at the pier and works its’ way out to global maritime commons presents unique risks and vulnerabilities that need to be considered as does the authorities and jurisdictions that might apply.
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More ISPS Code: The Security Decade 2004 to 2014
19th January 2015Underpinning the regulatory framework for security in the shipping industry is the IMO's ISPS Code, which first came into force in 2004. While some may see it as "just another regulation" that has to be complied with by way of paperwork, it is a key part of the process of a ship's security and her ability to trade effectively across many different jurisdictions. In particular, but not exclusively, the US Coast Guard (USCG) takes compliance very seriously.
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More Indonesia remains ship-attack hotspot
15th January 2015Piracy incidents are at their lowest level for eight years, but ship hijackings almost doubled between 2013 and 2014, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has revealed in its end-of-year report. The overall reduction is largely attributable to the continuing suppression of Somali piracy.