NAVY NEWS, AUGUST 2009 23
mouse and a blank chart
Cdr George. who work for Chief of Staff Capt well.
“What EUNAVFOR have done Richard Farrington. EU force commanders have
is introduce a system of grouped Their efforts were recognised the power to arrest mariners at
transit. when they were recently awarded sea if they feel the evidence is
“Because of our links with one of the 2009 Safety at Sea strong enough, and more than 60
international maritime trade, we International Awards at a cases have already been instigated
know exactly where the majority ceremony in Oslo. ashore, with other groups and
of the major transport vessels are. The result of all this back- nations apprehending a further
“We can time their arrival at a room activity – and high profile 100 or so.
terminus so that those arriving at successes out on the open sea – is The pattern of attacks also varies
slow speed arrive first, and those that the success-rate for pirates has according to season – the monsoons
arriving at a quicker speed arrive dropped from one in three attacks make it practically impossible for
later on in the day. to around one in eight or nine, pirates to attack from skiffs in the
“What that does is ensure and they are having to venture Somali Basin, so the focus would
when they reach the area that far out to sea – isolated attacks switch to more sheltered areas such
we perceive at that time to be the have been reported in the Gulf of as the Gulf of Aden.
most vulnerable and critical, for Oman and around the Seychelles, And as merchant ships get
hijacking purposes, they all arrive 700 miles off Somalia. the message on how to protect
at the same time. There is also a growing sense themselves more effectively, the
“As they arrive the area has of confidence in the commercial chances of pirates succeeding
been swept by EUNAVFOR and fraternity, and closer links with become more remote
other vessels, and therefore they states in the region, which helps “At the back end of 2008 it
are passing through a safe piece to strengthen the European was something in the order of
of water and have the presence initiative. 15 minutes between skiffs getting
of other EUNAVFOR vessels to Admiral Hudson acknowledged alongside a vulnerable ship and
provide overwatch.” that, despite some successes, a getting on board – 15 to 20
Apart from warnings, the long-term strategy was necessary. minutes,” said Admiral Hudson.
website also provides weather “Success rates for pirates “And that, we know, has more
reports, news, and a closed forum have decreased markedly, the than doubled, as we have taken in
for registered ships to post their international community has much simple self-protective measures.
own messages and hold discussions greater presence in a military sense, “Now, that doesn’t sound like
– everything the commercial and we have 12 European Union a great deal of time, 40 minutes
operator could want. They know ships in the region supporting or so, but the fact that we have
that because the commercial this operation, and as a result the a reasonable number of warships
operators told them so. pirates have had to adopt new allows us to spread them along
Yachts can also register and areas, change their procedures,” the corridor, and we know from
receive tailored information, and said Admiral Hudson. evidence that if a warship arrives
they tend to be directed down a “There is a real difficulty in on the scene, or an aircraft is seen
narrow ‘buffer zone’ between the suppressing successfully piracy as or a helicopter is seen, then it
two main lanes of traffic in the a whole, but we are making some tends to dissuade the pirates and
Gulf of Aden corridor. progress.” the attack is called off.”
Running alongside the website In total there are around 24 But whatever strategies are
is a communications system warships in the region, though formulated at Northwood,
named Mercury, which again links with the need for maintenance and whatever victories are notched
the commercial and the military. resupplying that probably means up at sea, there is widespread
The website, www.mschoa. there will be 16 or 17 on patrol acceptance that the piracy
eu, was created in double quick at any one time – though there problem will only be solved by the
● HMS Cornwall’s Lynx – 221 Flight of 815 Naval Air Squadron – during a series of training exercises in
time by two RN officers, Lt Cdr are also maritime patrol aircraft achievements of the diplomats and
preparation for anti-piracy patrols with Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2)
Glen Forbes and Lt Ryan Wallace, operating from nearby coasts as negotiators ashore in Somalia. Picture: LA(Phot) Simmo Simpson
No navigation features – but vital for safety
WE’VE all heard of pirate’s charts,
the mythical key to untold wealth
in the form of a chest full of pieces
of eight and gems.
But what about an anti-pirates
chart?
No gold or rubies marked here,
but the details on the anti-piracy
planning chart (right) could be
every bit as important as warnings
of hidden rocks or shoals.
Modern commercial shipping
tends to be well-connected in terms
of communications, including
access to the internet.
As such, the majority of
merchantmen passing through the
Gulf of Aden are aware of the free
registration scheme operated by the
Maritime Security Centre _ Horn
of Africa (www.mschoa.org), and
can receive alerts by email and
check for problems online.
But there is a large minority – up
to 45 per cent of traffic – which
does not register.
That may be through sheer
ignorance, lack of connectivity,
language barriers or the fact that
ship safety is perhaps a lower
priority than shifting the cargo.
Whatever the reason, military
assets are there to support them
as much as their better-connected
brethren – the problem is, how to
engage them.
The good people at the UK
Hydrographic Office (UKHO)
in Taunton, makers of Admiralty
Charts, working closely with EU
Naval Force personnel and the
NATO Shipping Centre, came up
with a simple but highly-effective
method – give them something
they can understand which hooks
into the various security forces.
And what could be more familiar
to a mariner than an Admiralty
chart – and a free chart, to boot?
It’s actually not much of a chart,
as most of the hydrographical
information has been removed
– but what has been added is
crucial, according to Chris Parry information they need – who to publications, warnings to mariners up, so a further 8,000 of the chart – waterfront to seek out the mariners them out when they talk to the
of UKHO, himself a Royal Naval contact if they are attacked, what and so on. Q6099 – have been produced. in their own world. mariners.
Reservist with HMS Flying Fox to do if he has got pirates on board, “So the objective was not to give It is available to download “We have gone through the “We have also talked to the
at Bristol. how to prepare to go through the them something new to get used online (www.ukho.gov.uk) but Mission to Seafarers in the various Egyptians to cover the Suez Canal
“Our plan of attack is the anti- area. to, but to work with something the whole point of producing it is ports, making the charts available – we are trying to push this through
piracy planning chart. “It’s about communicating with familiar through which we could because many of these sea-dogs are through port officers, pilots, to the lowest possible level.”
“We have removed all the the mariner in a way they are used get the military message across.” not linked by computer, so UKHO harbour masters – real grass-roots On the back of the chart, in
standard chart information, but to be communicated in. The chart moved from idea had to seek an alternative method stuff. numerous languages, is an
show the transit corridor in the “There is an infrastructure in to reality in around nine record- of distribution. “Rather than say they are explanation of why the various
Gulf of Aden. place which provides safety and breaking weeks, and an initial print And they found the most available through chart agents, we military forces are in the area, and
“And around the edges is all the security information – charts, run of 5,000 was quickly snapped effective system was to go to the have asked these people to hand what they hope to achieve.
022-023_NN_aug.indd 2 20/7/09 15:00:38
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