ANNEX 5
REPORT OF THE WORKING GROUP ON IMO MSC/CIRC.623
Guidance to shipowners and ship operators, shipmasters and crews on preventing and suppressing acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships
THE WORKING GROUP HAVING NOTED IMO resolutions A.545 (13) adopted on 17 November 1983, A.584 (14), adopted on 20 November 1985 and A.683 (17) adopted on 6 November 1991; and
HAVING PERUSED MSC/Circ.623 dated 18 June 1993,
has made the following comments/suggestions:
● Whereas the Working Group recognizes that MSC/Circ.622 is intended for Governments, there is in the Working Group's opinion a close connection between circulars 622 and 623. It was therefore of the opinion that they are interdependent and should be disseminated together to all parties concerned;
● Whereas the Working Group considers the existing MSC/Circ.623 an excellent guidance, which is still valid, it recommended the following amendments to further improve the circular:
・ Page 1, paragraph 3: insert after the first sentence the following new sentence "In South America a considerable number of piracy and armed attacks are drug related.";
・ Page 2, paragraph 5: replace the last sentence by the following: "The responsibility for vetting security generally lies with the security personnel companies, which themselves should be vetted by the appropriate authorities.";
・ Page 2, heading of paragraph 8, change "Anti-attack plan" to "Ship security plan";
・ Page 4, paragraph 18 and 19: with the entering into force of the GMDSS on 1 February 1999 and the phasing out of the Radio Officer these paragraphs need to be looked at and updated;
・ Page 5, paragraph 25: the title "Mayday" should be deleted; and
・ Page 11, paragraph 60: insert in the first sentence after "maritime Administration" "and the flag State";
● The Working Group also considered it appropriate to include as an annex to MSC/Circ.623 the "Decalogue of Safety", as submitted by the Brazilian delegation (attached hereto as appendix);
● In addition, the Working Group suggested that security would be improved if security guards employed in port or in the roads on different ships could be in communication with each other and the port authorities during their watch;
● Finally the Working Group expressed the opinion that the shipping industry would benefit from the BIMCO publication "The Ship Master's Security Manual" published July 1998.
The Working Group concluded its deliberations in a very positive and constructive manner.
