Pease be advised that the High Risk Area in the Western Indian Ocean will be removed as of 0001 UTC on January 1 2023. It will also be recalled that the industry associations responsible for the HRA plan to provide comprehensive threat guidance in the form of regional threat advisories, reviewed and updated on a periodic basis. Regrettably the first of these advisories will not be produced prior to the removal of the HRA, and as such the Industry Associations have developed interim guidance for owners on the removal of the area and its impact on security, provided at Annex A.  The guidance will also be provided on the industry security website www.maritimeglobalsecurity.org.

The HRA is distinct from the Lloyds Joint War Committee’s listed area in the Indian Ocean, which is unlikely to be immediately removed or reduced. However, shipowners may wish to bring the guidance to the attention of their underwriters when negotiating cover.