Web Alert: Change in piracy reporting in Gulf of Guinea

Change of reporting in Gulf of Guinea

Members should be aware that the Maritime Trade Information Sharing Centre – Gulf of Guinea (MTISC-GoG) – the centre set up to maintain and share details regarding maritime issues off the west coast of Africa – is set to close at 08:00 GMT on 20 June 2016.
 
The MTISC-GoG will be replaced by the Marine Domain Awareness for Trade – Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG) – a service provided jointly by the navies of the United Kingdom and France. MDAT-GoG is to be operated from centres in Brest, France and Portsmouth in England. 
 

Announcement from MTISC-GoG

The announcement provided by the MTISC-GoG on 16 June 2016 reads as follows:

QUOTE

As advised, the Maritime Trade Information Sharing Centre – Gulf of Guinea (MTISC-GoG) will close following the successful conclusion of the Pilot Project and France and the United Kingdom will commence a new virtual reporting centre, allowing the mission established by the MTISC to continue.
 
Over the past months, together with key stakeholders, OCIMF has carefully reviewed the outcomes of the MTISC-GoG Pilot Project, with the aim of establishing a sustainable reporting programme. The French and UK authorities, taking into account both their own experience and the role of MTISC-GoG in the region, have decided to offer a new contribution to the maritime information network in the Gulf of Guinea through a virtual reporting centre.
 
MDAT-GoG contact details
Email: watchkeepers@mdat-gog.org
Telephone: +33(0)298 22 88 88
 
Calls to this number will be answered either in Brest or in Portsmouth.
 
Maritime Security Chart

A new maritime security chart will be made available on the Hydrographic Office website and a number of shipping industry organisations websites.
 
MTISC-GoG website

The MTISC-GoG website will be taken down at 0800 GMT on 20 June and replaced with a holding page providing the contact details for the new FR/UK structure.
 
MTISC-GoG Maritime Security Guidance (MSG)

MSG will no longer be supported or updated after 20th June and will be withdrawn from the OCIMF and MTISC-GoG websites.
 
Emails to MTISC-GoG to be forwarded to the new FR/UK Centre

To help with the transition of reporting to the new FR/UK reporting structure, MTISC-GoG began forwarding copies of reporting emails from vessels to the new FR/UK structure at 0800GMT on 14 June.
 
Companies/vessels were requested to advise if they did not want to have their emails forwarded.
 
If companies do not give permission for their emails to be forwarded they are requested to advise MTISC-GoG as soon as possible otherwise no action is required.
 
FR/UK authorities have confirmed that all emails forwarded to FR/UK centre during this period will not be forwarded to any third party and will be deleted by 17 July.
 
Data Security

MTISC-GoG can confirm all data provided to the centre during its course of operation will be deleted.
 
MTISC-GoG would like to thank all those who have reported to the Centre for their support over the last two years.
 
UNQUOTE

As above, while a new maritime security chart will be published by the Hydrographic office website and other shipping industry organisations’ websites shortly, an electronic copy may be downloaded here

If any of our members have any queries regarding this web alert, please refer to your usual club contact or get in touch with the author of this article.