Members are advised that the Best Management Practices to Deter Piracy and Enhance Maritime Security in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea (BMP 5) will be reviewed to determine whether a new edition of the guidance is required (BMP 6).  The decision on whether to produce a new edition will be taken by the co-authors of the guidance, including ICS, and the stakeholders in the document will also be consulted. BMP 5 can be found on the ICS Website:

https://www.ics-shipping.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/bmp5-hi-res-min.pdf 

It will be recalled that BMP compliance is a central pillar in suppressing Somali piracy in the Western Indian Ocean and has been central to the reduction in attacks over recent years. Furthermore, the most recent edition of the document was expanded to contain guidance on other maritime security threats that have emerged in the region.

Members are invited to consider if any changes may be needed to update BMP 5, to ensure it remains relevant.  Annex A provides a spreadsheet containing examples of possible changes. Members are requested to consider what changes, if any, it is felt should be made to BMP 5, no later than Monday 22 February, to provide them using the spreadsheet at Annex A to John Stawper, ICS Manager (Environment and Trade) email :- (john.stawpert@ics-shipping.org).