Risk Areas Remain

Media sources recently hinted at an agreement between the Chamber of Shipping and the Officers union Nautilus International on extending the existing high-risk zone, which covers the Gulf of Aden, into the Indian Ocean.

However it seems the Warlike Operations Area Committee actually agreed to leave the high-risk zone unchanged and to instead designate an area of the Indian Ocean, equivalent to the MTO voluntary reporting area, as an “at risk” zone.

According to a letter to Lloyd’s List from the Head of Employment at the Chamber of Shipping Tim Springett, theWarlike Operations Area Committee agreed to leave the high-risk zone unchanged and to instead designate an area of the Indian Ocean, equivalent to the MTO voluntary reporting area, as an “at risk” zone.

This means that while seafarers transiting the high-risk zone in the Gulf of Aden should receive special payments equivalent to 100% of basic pay in respect of the time they are in the zone, this does not apply when transiting the “at risk” zone.

Seafarers do however have the right to decline to serve on ships transiting the “at risk” zone if their ships are not observing the industry best management practices to deter piracy.