Columbia Shipmanagement (CSM) has signed a pioneering anti-piracy security deal with the French navy.
The Schoeller-controlled ship manager revealed a “voluntary naval cooperation protocol” was signed with the navy’s Maritime Information Cooperation and Awareness (MICA) centre in December.
Additional security will be provided in high-risk areas to more than 275 CSM ships.
This includes vessels transiting the South China Sea and the Strait of Malacca, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Aden, as well as those calling at West African ports and sailing in the Gulf of Guinea and Mediterranean.
“The signed agreement means CSM vessels will have greater awareness and therefore protection from pirate attacks, hijacking and maritime terrorism,” CSM said.
In turn, the manager will ensure its vessels comply with best management practice on anti-piracy, while also working in cooperation with MICA to report any suspicious activity.
“CSM will contribute to safeguarding all vessels by reporting to MICA who monitors worldwide security of maritime areas,” the company said.
A CSM spokesman told TradeWinds that the navy has initially provided this cover only to French-flagged ships but is now extending it.
He added that due to the cooperation and intelligence swapping involved, the navy will provide protection “where necessary and possible”.
No fee is involved as France believes the intelligence from a growing merchant fleet is valuable in itself, the spokesman said.
Good for all
Demetris Chrysostomou, managing director of CSM for the Asia region and group business development director, said the cooperation ensures the long-term safety of seafarers and ships.
“We are delighted to be working in collaboration with the French Navy to make our oceans safer for all,” he said.
Commander Jeremy Bachelier, who is in charge of maritime security in South East Asia for the French navy, said: “Thanks to this agreement, the French navy will work to ensure safer seas for CSM merchant ships.
“Working with CSM merchant vessels will allow us to gather valuable information and in return will allow us to contribute to greater finesse in the development of our analysis and recommendations in matters of maritime safety to all the shipowners, charterers and operators participating in this protocol.”
It has been reported this month that a European Union mission using Danish, French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish warships is to patrol West African waters in the coming years to combat the threat of kidnap gangs.
France, Italy and Spain are said to be sending vessels for eight months each in 2022, the EU external action service proposed in a recent memo to ambassadors of member states.
The memo — dated 12 January and seen by EUobserver — noted that the Gulf of Guinea “continues to be particularly dangerous for seafarers”.
