21 December 2001

Dear Captain Whelan,

On behalf of the Secretary-General, I thank you for your e-mail of 10 December 2001 on the above-mentioned topic which was also copied to IMO. It was indeed very sad to hear about the tragic death of New Zealand Yachtsman Sir Peter Blake and we take this opportunity to request you to convey to his family our sincerest condolences on his untimely death.

We have also taken note of the proposed course of action you have suggested and, first of all, wish to share your concern on the continuing attacks on ships by pirates and armed robbers and the threat they pose to human lives and the safety of navigation. We are sure that you are well conversed with the various actions IMO and its Member Governments have taken, and are still taking, to tackle this menace. Since 1984, "Piracy and armed robbery against ships" has been a separate and fixed item on the work programme of our Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), which, at each session, receives a summary of all reports on these unlawful acts submitted by Member Governments and international organizations in consultative status. These reports are circulated on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis to IMO Member Governments and international organizations.

In addition, the Organization has adopted a number of resolutions and has issued circulars (in particular, MSC/Circs.622 and 623, as amended) on measures to prevent and suppress acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships and has prepared guidance and recommendations for Governments, shipowners and seafarers on preventing and combating these unlawful acts.

In 1997, due to the fact that the situation had deteriorated in some parts of the world, in spite of the missions undertaken by IMO to countries bordering the Malacca Strait and the South China Seas in 1993 and 1994 respectively, the MSC requested the Secretary-General to enter into consultations, at Ambassadorial level, with the Governments of countries in whose waters acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships had most frequently been reported and authorized him to organize missions of experts to those countries in a further effort to sensitize them to the need to prevent and suppress such acts. Following this, high-level missions were undertaken to hot spots of the world to underline, to the Governments concerned, IMO's concern over such incidents. This has been followed up further by evaluation missions to selected regions to assess what the Governments concerned had done to implement the Guidelines in MSC/Circs.622 and 623; what might have impeded their implementation; and whether assistance would be needed to enable such Governments to tackle the issue effectively.

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington D.C on 11 September 2001, the twenty-second IMO Assembly adopted resolution A.924(22) on Review of Measures and procedures to prevent acts of terrorism which threaten the security of passengers and crews and the safety of ships; as well as resolution A.922(22) on Code of practice for the investigation of the crimes of piracy and armed robbery against ships, to assist Governments to take action and to ensure an appropriate punishment against the crime of piracy and armed robbery against ships.

As you can see from the fore-going, IMO is doing its part in tackling the problem of piracy and armed robbery against ships. However, there is much more that could and should be done and proposals as to how to address the issue, such as those you have made, are most welcome. The maritime community should act, and act decisively and without further delay, if we are to be successful in our campaign to rid the world of pirates and armed robbers.

Thanking you, once again, I send you my best wishes for a happy Festive Season.


E.E. Mitropoulos