Background

For the shipping industry and the seafarer, Piracy remains a particular scourge which needs high level Government and UN support in concert with legitimate Professional Navies to defeat piracy in areas such as Somalia.  Intercargo pays tribute to both the professional navies who have achieved so much in support of the seafarer and world trade, but also the Masters and Crews of vessels, who it was estimated in June 2009, were responsible through their evasive actions in averting 78 % of all attacks.

With the recent South West Monsoon season restricting but not eradicating piracy off Somalia and the Eastern Indian Ocean, Intercargo and our Round Table colleagues have actively participated and promoted through the IMO and elsewhere, Best Management Practices (BMP’s) which give advice to Masters and Companies on how best to avoid seizure by Pirates.  These matters are kept under review by a small dedicated Intercargo Correspondence Group comprised of ten Intercargo Bulk Carrier companies who assist and advise the secretariat and Executive Committee on anti-piracy strategy and reaction to proposed policy developments.

Recent News - Advice & Guidance

20100721 : Merchant Vessels reports Pirate Skiffs in position 1422N  04208E. Vessels are warned that if passing within 100nm of this area they are to exercise extreme caution

20100719 : Pirate Skiff sighted in position 1510N 04143E at 181001Z. Ladders positively identified in skiff. Vessels are warned that if passing within 100nm of this area they are to exercise extreme caution

20100713 : Pirate Skiff sighted in position  12 41’ N   043 19’ E  at 130800UTC. Ladder positively identified in skiff.  Vessels are warned that if passing within 100nm of this area they are to exercise extreme caution.

20100520 : Intercargo has offered its support to a group of maritime related associations who are gathering signatures on an e-petition in order to suggest to Governments that piracy is an issue which affects seafarers and trade and that piracy must therefore be opposed.  As noted on the e-petiition, we call on Governments to dedicate resources to the piracy problem; take immediate steps to free the seized seafarers and work to secure a future for the Somali people.

The organisations backing the e-petition are :- BIMCO, ICS / ISF, IFSMA, IMEC, IPTA, Intercargo, Intermanager, Intertanko, the International Group of P&I Clubs, ITF, IUMI and SIGTTO.

To sign the petition, please see : www.endpiracypetition.org

20091224 : Intercargo has printed some "Bulk Carrier BMP Aware" Stickers to encourage ships to make the linkage between the advice contained in the Best Management Practice Guidelines and their own shipboard operations.  Also contained on the stickers are the contact details for UKMTO, MSCHOA and MARLO.  Any Bulk Carrier owner - irrespective of whether they are a member of Intercargo or not who would like copies of these free of charge stickers, should contact zoe.sakka"AT" intercargo.org [with the "AT" replaced by the conventional @ symbol to avoid spam e mail].  Early in 2010, Intercargo, will arrange for the stickers to be produced in languages other than English, with the first languages expected to be Greek, Mandarin, Hindi, Arabic and Tagalog. 

20091130 : On 29 NOV at 1215 UTC a crude oil tanker has been hijacked by pirates in position 03 03N 061 30E. The vessel altered her course and is now heading towards the Somali coast. MSCHOA advises all vessels navigating in the Indian Ocean to consider keeping East of 60E when routing North/South and to consider routing East of 60E and South of 10S when proceeding to and from ports in South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya. Vessels are also advised not to approach closer than 100 miles from the position given in this report and maintain maximum CPA with any ship acting suspiciously. While navigating in the region vessels are urged to operate at a heightened state of readiness, maintaining strict 24 hour anti-piracy visual and radar watches, actively implement recommended anti-piracy measures and regularly report their position/course/speed to UKMTO.
Merchant vessels are requested to report any suspicious activity to UKMTO Dubai (+97 1505523215 – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or IMB PRC (+60 320310014 – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it / This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ). Reports can also be relayed to MSCHOA ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).

20091123 : Mr Spyros Polemis, speaking on behalf of the Round Table of international Shipping Associations (BIMCO, ICS, Intercargo and INTERTANKO), today publicly thanked the Navies of the world who had protected seafarers and shipping in the Somalia area.  The occasion was the IMO Assembly and the the event was attended by Naval and Diplomatic Staff of all the navies serving in the area.  Intercargo was represented at this event by Nicky Pappadakis, Chairman and Rob Lomas, Secretary General.

The Round Table Piracy Speech, 23 November 2009, is available on request from This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

20091113 : Routeing and Reporting advice from EUNAVFOR, NATO and CMF :