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India’s unsuccessful bid to revise HRA at Maritime Safety Committee of the IMO
CGPCS Working group 3(Contact group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia) and Industries have worked closely to produce BMP4 – 4th version of Best Management practices for shipping industry. This BMP4 defines HRA – High Risk Area related to piracy. Industries, as editors of the BMPs, define and revise the scope of the HRA. In the meeting conducted recently, no revision of HRA was agreed to, by the industry.
The High Risk Area defines itself by where pirate activity and/or attacks have taken place. For the purpose of BMP the High Risk Area is an area bounded by Suez and the Strait of Hormuz to the North, 10°S and 78°E. (Note – the UKMTO Voluntary Reporting Area is slightly larger as it includes the Arabian Gulf). Attacks have taken place at most extremities of the High Risk Area. Attacks to the South have extended into the Mozambique Channel. A high state of readiness and vigilance should be maintained even to the South of the Southerly limit of the High Risk Area.
India’s proposal
India is looking for revision of HRA upto 65 degree E longitude as opposed to current 78 degree E longitude.
Why does India propose revision ?
1)Ships sail close to Indian Coast to avoid Piracy Prone areas. 78 degree E longitude covers entire western coast of India and even some portion in the south, close to Kanyakumari. Territorial waters of India upto 12NM are not part HRA however 78 degree limit brings high risk area much closer to Indian coast. As per security guidelines issued for HRA, vessels can carry weapons and Navy marines can be onboard. This is posing risk to our fishermen who venture into sea for their business and livelihood. There are incidents to prove that merchant vessels mistook ignorant fishermen to pirates, which pose potential risk to fishermen.
2) Insurance premiums for ships bound to this zone has increased significantly due to the area being demarcated as HRA.
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Some other info regarding piracy
Pirate Activity:
The level of pirate activity varies within the High Risk Area due to changing weather conditions and activity by Naval/Military forces.
Pirate activity generally reduces in areas affected by the South West monsoon, and increases in the period following the monsoon.
The onset of the North East monsoon generally has a lesser effect on piracy activity than the South West monsoon.
When piracy activity is reduced in one area of the High Risk Area it is likely to increase in another area (eg the area off Kenya and Tanzania, the Gulf of Aden and Bab al-Mandeb all generally experience an increase in pirate activity during the South West monsoon).
Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC)
This corridor is in Gulf of Aden only.
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