Command and control
Clasification Society 2024 - Version 9.40
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC.1/Circular.1405/Rev.2 – Revised Interim Guidance to Shipowners, Ship Operators, and Shipmasters on the Use of Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel on Board Ships in the High Risk Area1 – (25 May 2012) - Annex – Revised Interim Guidance to Shipowners, Ship Operators, and Shipmasters on the Use of Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel on Board Ships in the High Risk Area1 - 5 Service provision considerations - Command and control

Command and control

  5.7 A shipowner/operator when entering into a contract with a PMSC should ensure that the command and control structure linking the ship operator, the master, the ship's officers and the PCASP team leader has been clearly defined and documented.

  5.8 Further, prior to boarding the PCASP, the shipowner should ensure that the master and crew are briefed and exercises are planned and conducted so that all the roles and responsibilities are understood by all personnel on board prior to entering the HRA.

  5.9 In order to provide the required clarity, the documented command and control structure should provide:

  • .1 a clear statement recognizing that at all times the Master remains in command and retains the overriding authority on board, and an agreed procedure in the event of the Master being unavailable;

  • .2 a clearly documented set of ship and voyage-specific governance procedures, inter alia, covering procedures for the conduct of exercises and real incidents;

  • .3 a documented list of duties, expected conduct, behaviour and documentation of PCASP actions on board; and

  • .4 transparent two-way information flow and recognizable coordination and cooperation between the shipowner, charterer, PCASP, PMSC and the ship's master, officers and crew throughout deployment.

  5.10 Factors to determine such success may include:

  • .1 providing regular updated intelligence-based threat assessments throughout the contracted period on board, and utilizing this information to offer suggestions as to the ship's proposed routeing, amending same if required, and under the ship's contractual arrangements;

  • .2 monitoring the daily activities of the onboard PCASP team;

  • .3 having a 24-hour emergency response and a contingency plan in place covering all foreseeable actions; and

  • .4 providing feedback on crew training and ship hardening requirements based upon reports received from their onboard PCASP team.

Parent topic: 5 Service provision considerations
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