IMO Guidance

The IMO has approved further interim guidance on privately contracted armed security personnel  at an Intersessional meeting of the Maritime Security and Piracy Working Group of the Maritime Safety Committee, 13-15 September 2011.

The Intersessional Maritime Security and Piracy Working Group of the Maritime Safety Committee, which met at IMO Headquarters in London from 13 to 15 September 2011, approved the following Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) circulars for dissemination:

•MSC.1/Circ.1408 on Interim Recommendations for port and coastal States regarding the use of privately contracted armed security personnel on board ships in the High Risk Area;
•MSC.1/Circ.1406/Rev.1 on Revised Interim Recommendations for flag States regarding the use of privately contracted armed security personnel on board ships in the High Risk Area;
•MSC.1/Circ.1405/Rev.1 on Revised Interim Guidance to shipowners, ship operators and shipmasters on the use of privately contracted armed security personnel on board ships in the High Risk Area; and
•a joint MSC and Facilitation Committee (FAL) circular on Questionnaire on information on port and coastal State requirements related to privately contracted armed security personnel on board ships, which is aimed at gathering information on current requirements.
The circulars provide interim guidance and recommendations to be taken into account when considering the use of PCASP if and when a flag State determines that such a measure would be lawful and, following a full risk assessment, appropriate.

As stated in the circulars, the interim guidance and recommendations “are not intended to endorse or institutionalize” the use of armed guards.  Therefore, they do not represent any fundamental change of policy by the Organization in this regard. It is for each flag State, individually, to decide whether or not PCASP should be authorized for use on board ships flying their flag.  If a flag State decides to permit this practice, it is up to that State to determine the conditions under which authorization will be granted.

The use of PCASP should not be considered as an alternative to Best Management Practices (BMP) and other protective measures.  BMP4 has recently been issued by the shipping industry and will shortly be disseminated by IMO (as MSC.1/Circ.1339).