IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim and EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA Commander (OpCdr), Vice Admiral Núñez Torrente, agreed that shipping needs to maintain a high level of awareness in the Western Indian Ocean and follow Best Management Practices (BMP) to deter piracy.
This agreement came following a consultation meeting at IMO headquarters, on 2 February. Since 1 January 2023, the designation of the Indian Ocean High Risk Area (HRA) put in place by the shipping industry has been rescinded, due to the improved piracy situation in the region.
However, shipping should remain vigilant, apply the BMP 5 and register with Maritime Security Centre Horn of Africa (MSCHOA)’s voluntary registration scheme (VRS), as the best way to ensure the security of navigation and