Coast Guard's role in international piracy incidents

BACKGROUND:

The Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 assigned the Coast Guard as the maritime security coordinator for the U.S. merchant fleet. The Coast Guard determines the security measures necessary for U.S. flag vessels and publishes maritime security directives. The 2008 directive “Guidelines for U.S. Vessels Operating in High Risk Waters” sets forth a number of security measures for U.S. flag vessels operating in high piracy and armed robbery threat areas. The Coast Guard is updating this directive in light of recent events and evolving pirate tactics off the Horn of Africa.

KEY POINTS:

· Combating piracy requires international, interagency and private industry coordination. The Coast Guard, as one of the many involved federal agencies, is working with other governmental agencies and the appropriate industry and international partners to address piracy.

· The Coast Guard, as the U.S. representative to the International Maritime Organization, is working to ensure the necessary international legal framework is in place to deter and respond to acts of piracy.

· In light of recent events and evolving pirate tactics off the Horn of Africa, the Coast Guard is updating its 2008 directive “Guidelines for U.S. Vessels Operating in High Risk Waters,” which sets forth a number of security measures for U.S. flag vessels operating in high piracy and armed robbery threat areas.

· The Coast Guard urges the affected maritime industry to review and update ship security plans and to take self-protection measures that have been successful fending off pirate attacks, such as increasing speed in high threat areas, transiting during nighttime hours, constructing barriers that prevent pirates from coming aboard the vessel, and using fire hoses and special acoustical devices. The Coast Guard also advises the maritime industry to consider the use of third-party security consultants or forces, based on an assessment of the operating environment and individual risk factors.

· The Coast Guard reviews and approves vessel security plans, which are required by the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, for U.S. merchant fleets. In the near future, vessel operators will be required to review and, if necessary, update their vessel security plans to ensure compliance with maritime security directives. Their plans must also ensure that their security measures will counter, to the maximum extent possible, piracy incidents. This review is urgently needed because of recent events in the Horn of Africa region, such as the motor vessel Maersk Alabama piracy incident.

· U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachments (LEDET), a component of the Deployable Operations Group (DOG), operate on naval vessels as part of Combined Task Force 151 in the Gulf of Aden. The DOG's purpose is to develop systems and processes for standardized training, equipment, organization, planning, and scheduling of rapidly deployable specialized forces in support of tactical and operational commanders. The DOG enhances the Coast Guard's capability to respond to maritime disaster and national threats. It is responsible for the coordination and execution of the following force package deployments: Maritime Safety and Security Teams, Maritime Security Response Team, Port Security Units, Tactical Law Enforcement Teams, and National Strike Force Teams.

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