1. United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO)
Good morning everyone, I am Lt Cdr Peter Harriman from the UK Royal Navy, here this morning to talk a little about what UK Maritime Trade Operations does and bring you up to date on the latest piracy news in the Indian Ocean.
Exercise Lucky Mariner 2013
Lt Cdr Chris Long Royal Navy Reserve - Officer-in-Charge - UKMTO Dubai

2. Who? Presence in Dubai since 2001. x 3 RN (FTRS).
Moved to Embassy location in 2010.
x 3 RN (FTRS).
Lt Cdr, CPO, LH.
x 1 Merchant Navy Liaison Officer.
Jan 19 - Chris Scothern (EXXON)
x 1 International Liaison Officer.
Feb 19 – Sep 19 - RNZN
Oct 19 – April 20 - RAN
UKMTO has been in Dubai since 2001, primarily as a confidence building measure post the 9/11 attacks.
When fully staff, the team in Dubai consists of 7 personnel.
I am lucky to have a merchant navy Captain on a 4 – 6 month rotation provided through OCIMF members. The Captain acts as the industry/military interface and is on hand to provide professional advice and guidance.
UKMTO is also augmented by an International Liaison Officer from other Navy’s, most recently officers from Brazil, Australia and Denmark.

3. NAVAL PARTY 1023 British Embassy Dubai
RNLO GULF
Cdr Richard Morris RN - CO NP1023/RNLO GULF
CPO Sean Lovely - ARNLO GULF
UKMTO Dubai
International
Liaison
Officer
Lt Cdr Chris Long RN - OIC
MNLO - gapped until Jan 19
ILO - Gapped – Feb 19
CPO Anne McGarva
LH Roy Cadman
attached to UKMTO Dubai
UNCLASSIFIED
NP1023 BRITISH EMBASSY DUBAI
OFFICIAL
NOVEMBER 2009
NOVEMBER 2018

4. What?
iaw UKMCC’s Mission Directive
Mission to provide the operational interface between military/merchant shipping operating in the Middle East Joint Operating Area.
Assists in the free flow of international trade by contributing to Freedom of Navigation. Manages the Voluntary Reporting Area.
Supports contingency planning/operations/exercises.
Informs/Engages/Reassures the international shipping community.
Liaises with maritime security/piracy organisations and military forces in the region.
UKMTOs Mission is to act as the eyes and ears of the UK’s in-theatre military commander resident in Bahrain.
In conjunction and collaboration with other regional counter piracy organisations we Assist in regional FON largely through Administering the Voluntary Reporting Area, we’ll come back to.
UKMTO Supports Military Commanders in the region with operational planning and participates in exercises such as IMCMEX – one of the worlds largest maritime exercises taking place next April.
Engagement/Reassurance is about the building of trust and relations with regional industry which is a very important part of what we do – UKMTO is a recognised and trusted brand name and we take great care in protecting this well earned status by safeguarding commercial sensitivities.
Liaison is about information sharing, in the region we are not alone in this, there are many other organisations who make an equally valuable contribution.

5. Where? Manages the Voluntary Reporting Area
Coming back to our area of operations, as you are probably well aware is what is termed the ‘High Risk Area’, lying at 10S – 78E, an area 2.5million sq miles. The UKMTO Voluntary Reporting Area is superimposed on top of the HRA, vessels entering this region will voluntarily report to UKMTO and Maritime Shipping Centre Horn of Africa (MSCHOA) iaw the guidance contained in Best Management Practice 4.
UKMTO acts as the first point of contact for all shipping transiting the region, some 80-85% of shipping continue to report in to us.
Some of you will be aware of the ongoing debate about the size of the HRA. In view of the shrinking number of attacks, some littoral states are keen to see the HRA reduced in size commensurate to the threat. The HRA and BMP are owned by ‘industry’ who are preparing as we speak, to report their proposals to the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia next month.

6. When?
Face to Face Maritime Security Briefings: Reassures the shipping industry, builds confidence, UKMTO a trusted source.
Mina Saqr
,475
,321
Port Rashid
Jebel Ali
Mina Zayed
When?
A unique part of our operation is the ability to visit ships of any flag/nation and provide piracy updates to ships masters and crew.
Largely played out through ship visits we make to ports in the region every day by very kind permission of the port authorities.
These visits are always highly valued and it often strikes me and my team how hugely welcome we are made to feel and that we feel we are making a real difference and contributing in some way to the safety of the crew and vessel – like I said – just unique….
We don’t just visit Bulkers/Tankers etc we also brief Cruise Liners either in person via pre-arranged visit or telephone.

7. How? Maritime Trade Information Centre (MTiC): 24/7/365 watch keepers.
Real time data processing.
Maritime Domain Awareness.
Liaison with Merchant ships at sea.
Accurate White Shipping picture.
Global reach – deployable capability.
UKMTO in Dubai is supported by a 24/7 Maritime Trade Information Centre in the UK where telephone calls and s are processed.
We are supported by modern information systems that allow us to maintain a very accurate white shipping picture thus significantly improving Maritime Domain Awareness.

8. Maritime Trade Information Centre
UK Operations Room
UKMTO

9. How?
Gulf of Aden, Horn of Africa, Somali Basin & Indian Ocean – Incident Response Representation
Actual
Suspected
Activity
Activity
Ship Security Alert System
MF/HF DSC or SAT-C Alert
Company Security Officer (CSO)
&
&
&
VHF
Ch. 16 or 08
MRCC
VESSEL’S FLAG STATE ADMINISTRATION
RESPONSE BY REGIONAL NAVAL UNITS
UKMTO
INDEPENDENTDEPLOYERS
US NCAGS

10. Maritime Security
UKMTO is not entirely focused on Counter Piracy despite dominating the region over the last few years.
We also contribute to wider Maritime Security, which is after all why we came to the region in 2001.

11. Disposition of Reports and Incidents 2018
Advisories
Attacks
Warnings

12. Disposition of Advisories/Attacks/Warnings 2018

13. Disposition of Sightings of Fishing Vessels 2018

14. Disposition of SOLAS/SAR and Medical incidents 2017

15. Information Sharing
Inform through the Maritime Industry Exchange Vessel Operators Meeting (MIEVOM) twice per year
Inform through UKMTO Weekly Report
Advise through Warnings and Advisories to Industry
Inform through the UKMTO Website,
When?
So all this so far with a small team and then there is the Maritime Information Exchange Vessel Operators Meeting (MIEVOM) held 3 times per year after what is called the Shared Awareness and De-confliction meeting (SHADE) held in Bahrain. SHADE is a hugely successful forum of regional military and counter piracy related organsiations plus independent deployers in the region who meet to discuss and de-conflict the regional military response.
The MIEVOM I convene to back-brief regional industry representatives on SHADE and also invite guests speakers to give presentations on regional maritime security issues.
The MIEVOM is always well supported, the next one being 30 Sep 15 in Dubai. .

16. Informing and Advising: CMF/EU NAVFOR IRTB & BMP5
In response to the recent attacks against merchant shipping and the dynamic maritime threat environment in the Gulf of Aden and BAM the Combined Military Forces (CMF) introduced a Maritime Security Transit Corridor for this region.
The MSTC consists of:
The Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC)
The BAM Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) and the TSS West of the Hanish Islands
A two way route connecting the IRTC (at point A) and the BAM TSS.
Provides a recommended merchant traffic route around which CMF Naval Forces can focus their presence and surveillance efforts.
Group transits and escorted sails in the IRTC will remain extant. – See EUNAVFOR website for details
The route does not change the need for thorough planning and risk mitigation measures by shipping companies and Ships Masters – Detailed risk assessment for each voyage should be undertaken by Master, CSO and SSO. BMP4 Guidance should still be followed.
This is not a directive route the use of IRTC, MSTC, BMP4 and other measures remain the sole decision of the vessel operator based on dedicated risk assessment.

17. Informing and Advising Ships Transiting the BeM Eastern TSS

18. Feedback to Industry BMP 5 Awareness: Data from 93 ships briefed by UKMTO in Aug 2018

19. The Future: Enduring consistent presence
Interlocutor between ‘Industry’ and the Military
Not just about Piracy
Outreach
Trusted Brand
Commercially sensitive
Accurate Information sharing
Providing advice and guidance