Government upgrades sea travel warning
By: Katrina Archer and Bruce Piper, Cruise Weekly

The Australian Government has reviewed a travel advisory for people travelling by sea to include warnings about pirate and terrorist attacks.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade reissued the advice for Australian cruise passengers on 25 June, following statistics that show a sharp rise in piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off the east coast of Somalia.

DFAT also refers to "high levels of piracy" in coastal areas of many other parts of Africa, as well as Asia, South and Central America and the Caribbean.

"Kidnapping for ransom can also occur," the advice states.

The Horn of Africa remains the main area of concern, where "attacks by Somali pirates against all forms of shipping are increasing in frequency", DFAT said.

According to the International Maritime Bureau's Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC), there has already been more attacks in the region in 2009 than in the whole of last year, which saw 111 attempted attacks of piracy and 42 hijackings.

Of most concern is pirates' recent use of "motherships" to reach cruise liners and yachts, which were previously considered safe due to their distance from the coast.

Recent incidents involving passenger cruise ships include the failed attempts on the MV Dubai Princess and MV MSC Stella near Yemen on 17 May, and the 25 April attack on MSC Melody, which shook off its attackers near the Seychelles.

The advice also repeats warnings of terrorist attacks on ships at sea and in port.

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