Australian Government publishes new counter-piracy guidelines

The Australian Government has published new guidelines outlining measures which shipping operators and seafarers should take in order to detect, deter and prevent piracy and robbery at sea.

The Hon Anthony Albanese, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government will release the Counter Piracy Advisory Guidelines during his attendance at the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) General Assembly in London, UK.

The guidelines, for example, recommend:

• Masters should prepare anti-piracy training practices and procedures that ensure that the ship's crew have a good working knowledge and understanding of the basic security measures and requirements for preventing or delaying unauthorised access to the ship whilst at sea, at anchor or alongside a port berth.
• Masters should prepare an emergency communication plan, to include all essential emergency contact numbers and pre-prepared messages.  Such communication plans should be readily at hand or permanently displayed near the communications console on the ships bridge for instant reference in any piracy or robbery at sea related incident.

While the guidelines are primarily designed for international commercial shipping, they also provide advice to the operators of fishing vessels and pleasure yachts.

The guidelines were developed by the Inspector of Transport Security, Mick Palmer AO APM.

The new guidelines complement other anti-piracy measures the Australian Government has taken, including:

• Co-sponsoring a resolution at the United Nations to strengthen international efforts to fight piracy
• Deploying two Anzac-class frigates and an AP-3C Orion patrol aircraft as part of international efforts to deter piracy in the Gulf of Aden
  
• Providing two enforcement experts to the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime Counter Piracy Program in Nairobi to assisting Kenyan authorities process apprehended piracy suspects.

The new Guidelines are now available to Australian seafarers and can be obtained by emailing the Office of Inspector of Transport Security: oits@infrastructure.gov.au.