Piracy High Risk Area(HRA)

Piracy has taken place in a maritime area bounded by the Suez and the Strait of Hormuz. Approximately 35 percent of all crude oil shipped by sea and one-third of all liquefied natural gas pass through the strait.

High Risk Areas for piracy (HRA) have been declared in different parts of the world to reflect precautions to be taken when ships transit them These include the following:

As per the Contact group of Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS), the HRA (updated on 8 October 2015) is an area bounded by the following: In the Red Sea: northern limit: Latitude 15°N, In the Gulf of Oman: northern limit: Latitude 22°N Eastern limit: Longitude 065°E Southern limit: Latitude 5°S

As per the JWC, as of 12 Jun 13,in the Indian Ocean, the waters enclosed by: on the North West by the Red Sea, south of Latitude 15° N; on the west of the Gulf of Oman by Longitude 58° E; on the east, Longitude 78° E; and on the south, Latitude 12° S excepting coastal waters of adjoining territories up to 12 nautical miles offshore unless otherwise provided constitute Hull War, Piracy, Terrorism and Related Perils Listed Area.

The ITF has promulgated ITF 'Warlike', HRA and Extended Risk Zone.

The IBF has also promulgated IBF 'Warlike Operations Area', IBF HRA and IBF 'Extended Risk Zones'.

A table summarising the risk areas related to piracy is tabulated below.

With the decline of the number of successful and attempted piracy incidents since 2012, the extent and scope of the HRA has increasingly become controversial. This notably concerns whether the territorial waters and EEZ’ of the Western Indian Ocean littorals should be considered part of the HRA.

Littoral states want the scope of the HRA reviewed on account of economic considerations as well as the proliferation of arms and ammunition in the HRA.

The shipping industry assessment is that it is yet early to revise that scope of the HRA as revising the HRA could lead to 'loss of awareness' in the industry and possible 'disengagement' of naval actors.

At the 12th CGPCS held on 25 Jul 2012, CGPCS 'noted' the continued reduction in the reach and extent of piracy in the East Arabian Sea, especially east of 70 degrees East, and asked Working Group (WG) 3 to consider a review of the HRA through discussions with industry, the drafters of BMP.

At the 13th CGPCS held on 11 Dec 2012, CGPCS 'noted' the proposed meeting of a sub-group of WG 3 on 15 January 2013 in London which will include interested Member States and representatives of the insurance and maritime industry to further discuss the issue of the review of existing boundaries of the HRA on an objective and transparent basis taking into account actual incidents of piracy.

At the WG3 ad hoc meeting on HRA on 15 January 2013 at London, Egypt, India, and Oman submitted papers replying to inquiries of the industry and requesting review of the scope of the HRA.

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Wikipedia