Although the piracy risk off Somalia has reduced from its peak of several years ago, the possibility of piracy, armed robbery and terrorist attack in this region and elsewhere are very much still evident. In light of new developments, the Best Management Practices to Deter Piracy and Enhance Maritime Security in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea has been updated, with the participation of the International Group of P&I Clubs, and a new version (BMP5) has been published, replacing BMP4 which has been in use since 2011.

This safety alert raises awareness of a significant emerging problem in the U.S. Gulf Coast region regarding contaminated vessel fuel oil bunkers. This involves blended fuels oil such as Intermediate Fuel Oil (IFO 380) and has caused fouled fuel pump plungers, fuel pump seizures and other fuel system related failures. Furthermore, the fuel may increase sediment levels at separators and fuel filters and, in some cases, may completely clog filters. The standard fuel oil test methods found in the ISO 8217 specification will not detect these underlying problems.

Useful links here direct to various flag state requirements for the installation and management  of ECDIS.