TO: OPERATORS OF U.S. FLAG AND EFFECTIVE U.S. CONTROLLED VESSELS AND
OTHER MARITIME INTERESTS
THIS MARAD ADVISORY ON PIRACY OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA ORIGINATED
FROM THE NATIONAL MARITIME INTELLIGENCE CENTER, OFFICE OF NAVAL
INTELLIGENCE.
1. THE NATIONAL MARITIME INTELLIGENCE CENTER (NMIC) ADVISES THAT PIRACY
HAS RESUMED IN INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING LANES OFF THE CENTRAL EAST COAST
OF SOMALIA AS OF 14 MAY 2007. VESSELS REPORT BEING FIRED UPON
APPROXIMATELY 190 NM OFF THE SOMALI COAST IN THE VICINITY OF 01-20N
049-00E BY GUNMEN IN SMALL WHITE SPEEDBOATS ARMED WITH MACHINE GUNS
AND ROCKET PROPELLED GRENADES. GIVEN THE DISTANCE FROM SHORE THESE
RECENT ATTACKS HAVE OCCURRED AND POOR WEATHER CONDITIONS TYPICAL
FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR, ONI ASSESSES PIRATES ARE LIKELY UTILIZING A LARGER
MERCHANT VESSEL AS A MOTHER-SHIP TO LAUNCH THEIR SMALL-BOAT ATTACKS.
THE INTERNATIONAL MARITIME BUREAU (IMB) HAS INCREASED THEIR
RECOMMENDED TRANSIT DISTANCE FROM 75 NM to 200 NM FOR VESSELS NOT
CALLING ON SOMALI PORTS.
2. ONI FURTHER ADVISES VESSELS STAY AT LEAST 50 NM AWAY FROM THE
POSITION 01-02N 048-10E UNTIL THE MOTHER-SHIP THREAT CAN BE EVALUATED.
3. ALL VESSELS ARE ADVISED TO REMAIN AT LEAST 200 NM FROM THE EAST
COAST OF SOMALIA. ALL MERCHANT VESSELS TRANSITING THE COAST OF
SOMALIA, NO MATTER HOW FAR OFFSHORE, SHOULD INCREASE ANTI-PIRACY
PRECAUTIONS AND MAINTAIN A HEIGHTENED STATE OF VIGILANCE. PIRATES ARE
REPORTED TO HAVE USED PREVIOUSLY HIJACKED SHIPS AS BASES FOR FURTHER
ATTACKS.
4. ANOTHER REPORTED PIRATE TACTIC HAS BEEN TO ISSUE A FALSE DISTRESS
CALL TO LURE A SHIP CLOSE INSHORE. THEREFORE, CAUTION SHOULD BE TAKEN
WHEN RESPONDING TO DISTRESS CALLS KEEPING IN MIND IT MAY BE A TACTIC TO
LURE A VESSEL INTO A TRAP.
5. VICTIMIZED VESSELS REPORT TWO TO THREE 6 TO 9 METER SPEEDBOATS WITH 3
TO 6 ARMED MEN PER VESSEL ARMED WITH AK-47S AND SHOULDER LAUNCHED
ROCKETS, OPENING FIRE ON THEIR VESSELS IN BROAD DAYLIGHT IN ORDER TO
INTIMIDATE THEM INTO STOPPING.
6. TO DATE, VESSELS THAT INCREASE SPEED AND TAKE EVASIVE MANEUVERS
AVOID BOARDING WHILE THOSE THAT SLOW DOWN ARE BOARDED, TAKEN TO THE
SOMALI COASTLINE, AND RELEASED AFTER SUCCESSFUL RANSOM PAYMENT,
OFTEN AFTER PROTRACTED NEGOTIATIONS OF AS MUCH AS 11 WEEKS.
7. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ADVISORY, CONTACT THE
MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, OFFICE OF SECURITY, CODE MAR-420, 2W23-312, 1200
NEW JERSEY AVE, SE, WASHINGTON, DC 20590; TELEPHONE 202-366-1883, OR BY
E-MAIL TO OWEN.DOHERTY@DOT.GOV.
8. SUSPECTED ACTIVITY OR ACTUAL PIRACY/TERRORIST INCIDENT REPORTING
GUIDANCE IS PROVIDED IN MARAD ADVISORY 05-01.
9. DEPARTMENT OF STATE SPECIAL WARNING NUMBER 123 PERTAINS.
10. CANCEL MARAD ADVISORY 05-03 (28 OCT 2005).
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