A Guide to transit through Gulf of Aden and Somalian waters

If you think the piracy and hijacking in the Gulf of Aden is dead now, you need to think again. Yes, it has declined considerably but it still exists. And the pirates are looking for a window to strike again. Blaming illegal fishing trade in Somalian waters, Somalis are considering the piracy again. The recent hijacking incident in this area was as early as in March 2017. On 13 March 2017, M/V Aris 13 came under attack from two skiffs and was taken hostage. When sailing in these areas, we cannot let our guards down. Good news is that with little preparation and by following the developed guidelines, the risk reduces considerably. In this post, we will discuss the entire procedures of transit through this high-risk area. But before we begin, let us understand these terms. High-Risk area The high-risk area has been designated based on the pirate's activities and areas where most of the attack took place. This is the area where it is considered that there is a higher risk of piracy. This high-risk area is bounded by In the Red sea: Area south of Latitude 15 N In the Gulf of Oman: Area south of Latitude 22 N Eastern Limit: Area west of Longitude 65 E Southern Limit: Area North of Latitude 5 N The Admiralty chart Q6099 is the guidance chart for these areas...