QuestionsQuestions (MARINA ADVISORY NO. 2009-23)
It provides notice and guidance to Philippine shipowners and maritime stakeholders that Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) has begun escort operations against piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia, and it explains the pre-registration and reporting requirements for parties interested in obtaining such escort for their ships.
No. The advisory states the escort aims to protect ships “regardless of their nationalities” from acts of piracy in the specified areas.
The Gulf of Aden and waters off the coast of Somalia.
It started on 13 March 2009.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) of the Government of Japan.
The advisory states that the pre-registration must provide the necessary information/details of the ship which needs to be escorted, using the pre-registration form downloadable from the MLIT website.
The pre-registration form must be filled up and sent to MLIT Anti-Piracy Contact and Coordination Office via the email address provided: INFO-PIRACY@mlit.go.jp.
All shipowners/ship operators who applied for MSDF escorts are required to inform MARINA in writing immediately upon pre-registration with MLIT.
The advisory refers to “concerned persons, shipping companies/ship operators/ship managers” interested to apply for escort to protect their ships from possible piracy attacks in the said regions.
It does not directly grant escort; instead, it provides the notice and procedural guidance—i.e., how to pre-register with Japan’s MLIT and how to notify MARINA after pre-registration.
Based on the text, MARINA is not the pre-registration agency. The pre-registration is with Japan’s MLIT; MARINA’s role is limited to requiring written notice to MARINA immediately upon pre-registration.
The advisory makes the timing mandatory (“immediately”), which implies compliance should be prompt after pre-registration, to ensure timely MARINA awareness and potential coordination/recording purposes.
It implies that the MSDF escort is not automatically granted; shipowners/operators must first register their request/details with MLIT in advance so that the Japanese authorities can process and coordinate escort support.
First, download and complete the MLIT pre-registration form, then send it to INFO-PIRACY@mlit.go.jp as required; second, inform MARINA in writing immediately upon pre-registration with MLIT.
These details identify the issuing authority, adoption date, and responsible administrator, which are standard elements that help determine the validity, provenance, and proper referencing of an administrative advisory for compliance and interpretation.