This is in response to recent attacks on merchant shipping in the Gulf of Aden and Bab Al Mandeb, which have highlighted the risks of transiting these waters, the organisation said.
The multiple types of risks and the broad expanse of ocean on which these attacks can occur dictate that Naval Forces must be used in the most efficient manner possible.
The MSTC will consist of:
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The Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC).
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The BAM Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) and the TSS West of the Hanish Islands.
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A two-way route directly connecting the IRTC and the BAM TSS.
The corridor’s purpose is to provide a recommended merchant traffic route around which Naval Forces can focus their presence and surveillance efforts. It is recommended that all vessels use the MSTC to benefit from military presence and surveillance, CMF said.
The MSTC has no effect on the use or timings of group sails or escorted transits of the IRTC. These will continue to be scheduled and executed as they have in the past and the IRTC end points will remain.
Operating in these waters requires thorough planning and the use of all available information. The maritime threat environment is dynamic; the risks will not remain constant for subsequent visits. It is essential therefore, that Masters, Ship Security Officers and Company Security Officers carry out detailed risk assessments for each voyage to the region and for each activity within the region.
All vessels transiting the Gulf of Aden and Bab Al Mandeb should follow the BMP4 guidelines to the maximum extent possible and consider the use of embarked armed security. Recent piracy attacks this year serve to emphasise the importance of robustly following the guidelines, CMF warned.
CMF also stressed that the use of the IRTC, MSTC, BMP4, armed security, shifting transit times, or any other defensive measures remain the sole decision of the vessel operator based on its own dedicated risk assessment and the requirements of the flag state.