The International Group, in partnership with shipping industry associations, have launched new maritime security guidance. The Best Management Practices, West Africa is a new addition to the established BMP series and provides threat mitigation guidance on counter-piracy/armed robbery at sea.

The new BMP should help companies and mariners to risk assess voyages and mitigate external threats to their safety while operating in and around the coast of West Africa, including the Gulf of Guinea.

This publication aims to help ships plan their voyage and to detect, avoid, deter, delay and report attacks. Experience has shown that application of the recommendations in this publication make a significant difference to the safety of seafarers.

This BMP complements piracy guidance in the latest Internation Maritime Organisation (IMO) Resolutions and Circulars (www.imo.org)