Today, the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO), the world’s largest international shipping association, advised that the co-sponsors of Best Management Practice for Protection against Somali Piracy, version 4, (BMP 4) have agreed to a revised definition of the High Risk Area (HRA). The changes, detailed below, shall take effect formally from 1st December 2015 in order to give crews and shipping companies adequate time to adapt.

The High Risk Area, as defined by BMP4, will be reduced in size as follows:
In the Red Sea: Latitude 15°N
In the Gulf of Oman: Latitude 22°N
Eastern Limit: Longitude 065°E
Southern Limit: Latitude 5°S

Dryad Maritime, the UK’s leading maritime intelligence company, welcomed this announcement as a decision that takes account of the changing strategic and threat context in the region and the important views of a number of coastal states. The news is the first step in a welcome de-escalation that will ultimately see a shift from the widespread use of armed guards towards more appropriate, and less costly, methods of mitigating risk in the High Risk Area.

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<a href="http://myseatime.com/blogadm/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/LIMIT-HIGH-RISK-AREA-MAP-All2.jpg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-1118" src="http://myseatime.com/blogadm/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/LIMIT-HIGH-RISK-AREA-MAP-All2.jpg" alt="high risk area indian ocean" width="600" height="503" /></a>

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Graeme Gibbon Brooks, Chief Executive Officer, Dryad Maritime;

“This amendment to the HRA is well considered and reflects the balance of caution and
progress. The message from the naval forces is unequivocal that the threat remains,
albeit inactive. However, it is clear that the audacious long range attacks seen in
2009-2011 are not the most likely course of action and thus a de-escalation of risk
posture in these areas is wholly appropriate. The re-drawing of the boundaries does
reflect the criminals’ most likely course of action should the threat reconstitute and so we
fully support this pragmatic decision. Whilst it would be premature to claim total victory
on piracy, this is the first and most optimistic sign of progress toward that goal.”

Ian Millen, Chief Operating Officer, Dryad Maritime;

“This is great news for the maritime industry and seafarers alike. Whilst we are not about
to drop our guard on piracy or other regional maritime security issues, such as the war in
Yemen, this HRA reduction of approximately 55% or 1.7 million square miles of ocean will
give the hard-pressed industry cause for optimism with the potential for reduced
operating costs. It will also come as welcome news to our international seafarers who
have sufered at the hands of Somali piracy for far too long. BIMCO and other sponsors
deserve much credit for the significant part that they have played in the fight against
piracy and today’s welcome news. It will be interesting to see how others, including
insurers and leading players such as the Joint War Committee, react to this latest
development.”

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<strong>Image Credit: commons.wikimedia.com/BotMultichillT</strong>