U.S. Maritime Advisory 2024-010

Geographic Location: Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean
Description: Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom

1. References: This advisory supersedes U.S. Maritime Advisory 2024-006 and provides clarity for threats in this geographic region. U.S. Maritime Advisory 2024-006 is canceled.

2. Issue: Although there are currently no specific piracy threats to U.S. flagged commercial vessels, recent cases of piracy pose a general threat to all commercial vessels operating in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean. Since November 2023, there have been six reported boarding/hijacking incidents. Pirates have utilized captured merchant and fishing vessels as motherships. Successful or attempted boardings and suspicious approaches have been reported up to 960 nm off the coast of Somalia. Specific case details are available at the Office of Naval Intelligence’s “Worldwide Threat to Shipping” and “Piracy Analysis and Warnings” website at https://www.oni.navy.mil/ONI-Reports/Shipping-Threat-Reports/Worldwide-Threat-to-Shipping/.

3. Guidance:

The Best Management Practices to Deter Piracy and Enhance Maritime Security in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean, and Maritime Global Security website at https://www.maritimeglobalsecurity.org should be consulted prior to operating in those geographic waters.

U.S.-flagged commercial vessels should coordinate voyage planning with U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) and adopt their recommendations and guidance whenever possible. NAVCENT NCAGS stands a 24-hour watch and has the latest information on the current maritime security threats and the operational environment in this region.

Vessels transiting these areas with armed security details onboard have successfully deterred boarding by individuals in approaching small craft. The decision whether to embark a contracted armed security detail and the assessment of associated risks remains the responsibility of individual companies and vessel Masters, who are responsible for establishing use of force guidance and pre-planned responses for vessels carrying contracted armed security details.

Transit by yachts and privately owned sailing vessels through these waters is hazardous and may result in capture. The U.S. Government advises against all operation of yachts and pleasure craft in these areas.

American citizens abroad should inform the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate of their plans to transit the area and/or update their information via the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at: https://step.state.gov/step/. Yachting guidance can be found at: https://on-shore.mschoa.org/reference-documents/advice-for-sailing-vessels/.

U.S.-flagged commercial vessels operating in these waters are advised to conduct a pre-voyage risk assessment, incorporate appropriate protective measures into vessel security plans, exercise caution, and monitor VHF Channel 16. In the event of any attack, incident, or suspicious activity, immediately: activate the Ship Security Alert System, contact the U.S. Fifth Fleet Battle Watch, and contact UKMTO.

U.S.-flagged commercial vessels should register with the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Office
(UKMTO) watch and may contact NAVCENT NCAGS 24 hours prior to entering the Indian Ocean
Voluntary Reporting Area by sending UKMTO, and if desired NAVCENT NCAGS, a single e-mail, the Initial Report from Annex D of (BMP). Include the estimated times of arrival at the Strait of Hormuz (SoH), and if applicable, at the Bab el Mandeb Strait (BAM) and the Suez Canal in line 10 of the report and add line 14 for comments as needed (e.g., speed restrictions or other constraints, anticipated time of entering/exiting the SoH Traffic Separation Scheme; an outline of the navigation plan for operating in the SoH and Persian Gulf, etc.). Utilize other reports included in Annex D of BMP as necessary.
Vessels operating in this area are advised to include the NAVCENT NCAGS watch on all updates or
incident report emails.

The Maritime Global Security website at https://www.maritimeglobalsecurity.org/ offers industry issued best practices and guidance to mariners by geographic region and provides contact and subscription information for regional maritime security reporting centers, particularly in high risk-areas. Answer all VHF calls from coalition navies. Vessels should be aware that U.S. and other coalition naval forces may conduct maritime awareness calls, queries, and approaches to ensure the safety of vessels transiting these listed waters.

Due to the risks of piracy, kidnapping, hijacking, and robbery while operating within U.S. Coast Guard
designated High-Risk Waters (HRW), U.S.-flagged commercial vessels are required to comply with the
Guidelines for U.S. Vessels Operating in High-Risk Waters contained in U.S. Coast Guard Maritime
Security Directive 104-6 (Rev 8) and comply with their Coast Guard approved Vessel Security Plan annex on counter piracy. The U.S. Coast Guard Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance (CG-CVC) announced in the Federal Register in August 2021 the availability of Revision 8 to Maritime Security (MARSEC) Directive 104–6. U.S. vessel owners and operators who needed to act under previous versions of MARSEC Directive 104–6 should immediately contact their local Coast Guard Captain of the Port or District Commander for a copy of Revision 8.

Per 33 CFR 101.305, report all suspicious activities, breaches of security, and transportation security
incident events involving U.S. vessels or persons to the U.S. Coast Guard National Response Center.
Additional U.S. Coast Guard port specific requirements may be found in Port Security Advisory 1-22 at
https://www.dco.uscg.mil/Portals/9/DCO%20Documents/InternationalPortSecurity/Port%20Security%2
0Advisory/PSA%20%201-22%20Remove%20Cote%20d'Ivoire.pdfver=6DzYOEsWAJQVh7ld4c0ycQ%3d%3d.

4. Contact Information:

a) Fifth Fleet Battle Watch: cusnc.bwc@me.navy.mil or + 973-1785-3879.

b) NAVCENT NCAGS: +973-1785-0033 (Primary/Watch Desk), +973-3940-4523 (Alternate), or m-banavcent-ncags@us.navy.mil.

c) UKMTO: watchkeepers@ukmto.org or +44 (0) 2392 222060. UKMTO advisories and warnings are
available at https://www.ukmto.org/.

d) U.S. Coast Guard National Response Center: +1-800-424-8802.

5. Cancellation of Prior Advisories: This message supersedes and cancels U.S. Maritime Advisory 2024-
06 and will automatically expire on February 12, 2025.

For maritime industry questions about this Advisory, contact the Global Maritime Operational Threat
Response Coordination Center at GMCC@uscg.mil. Supplemental information about U.S. Maritime
Alerts and Advisories, including subscription details, may be found at:
https://www.maritime.dot.gov/msci. Feedback provided by U.S. maritime industry stakeholders
regarding the U.S. Maritime Advisory System has greatly supported the USG in pursuing continued
enhancements to this system. Feedback to MARADSecurity@dot.gov is always welcome.