The use of armed guards on merchant ships has been expressly prohibited by the Nigerian Navy’s Chief of Naval Staff since 6 June 2016. This resulted in the Nigerian Navy entering contractual relationships with private security companies governed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Each year the Nigerian Navy reviews its MOU holders to ensure that the Private Maritime Logistics Support Companies (PMLSCs) that are awarded them, like Southgate Global our partner company, maintain expected standards and comply with the relevant legalities.
Q. Are armed guards allowed while the vessel is underway?
A. Every jurisdiction is different but the general rule-of-thumb for the Gulf of Guinea is that for vessels underway, and crossing EEZ boundaries, there is no possibility for armed guards to be on board. Therefore, for any vessels transiting in or out of a high-risk jurisdiction of the Gulf of Guinea, the only armed security option is a Security Escort Vessel with an embarked armed team from the host nation military.
| The desire to reduce risk across all areas of business operations unifies all shipowners, operators and charterers.
By contracting PVI and in turn Southgate Global, a recognised MOU holder, your business is demonstrating its commitment to: |
| ● Full supply chain control● Adherence to internationally recognised compliance standards
● Thorough risk mitigation measures |
Talk to our team for more information about fully compliant security solutions in the #GulfofGuinea via customerservices@pviltd.com