ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB)

The first ICC anti-crime bureau, the International Maritime Bureau, was founded in 1981. It quickly received the
support of the International Maritime Organization in a resolution urging governments and law enforcement agencies
to cooperate with the new body. More recently, it was granted observer status with Interpol.

IMB's task is to prevent fraud in international trade and maritime transport, reduce the risk of piracy and assist law
enforcement in protecting crews. It tracks cargoes and shipments and verifies their arrival at scheduled ports.

Much of IMB's work concerns prevention in the form of timely advice on how to reduce corporate vulnerability to fraud
and malpractice. In the event of frauds and piratical attacks it carries out investigations with a view to bringing
perpetrators to justice and recovering losses. Other specific tasks are to:

• authenticate suspect bills of lading and other documents

• disseminate information on maritime crime that has been collected from commercial, government and
international sources
• offer due diligence advice
• propose ways for victims of fraudulent transactions to extricate themselves and minimize the damage
• provide legal advice and support in litigation
• raise awareness of the dangers of maritime crime and provide training in counter-measures

Today, governments of the world's leading trading nations support the bureau's work. IMB's multidisciplinary staff and
contacts worldwide gather information and respond swiftly in cases of maritime fraud or when ships are attacked on
the high seas. IMB today covers all types of fraud and malpractice in trading and transport.

A fortnightly confidential bulletin lists frauds, commercial failures and non-payment of debts. This is supplemented by
a credit report service on companies engaged in shipping and trading. Additionally, the bureau runs a ship monitoring
and supercargo service. Another programme checks the credentials of shipowners and prospective charterers before
a vessel is fixed.

IMB verifies documents presented under documentary credits and investigates insurance losses. The most recent
innovation is an inexpensive satellite tracking system, known as SHIPLOC. This system allows shipping companies,
armed only with a personal computer with Internet access, to monitor the exact location of their vessels. SHIPLOC
now has its own website at www.shiploc.com

In 1992, reacting to an alarming growth in piracy on the world's oceans, IMB created the Piracy Reporting Centre at
it's Far East Regional Office in Kuala Lumpur.

The IMB Piracy Reporting Centre

Outrage in the shipping industry at the alarming growth in piracy on the world's oceans prompted the creation of the
IMB Piracy Reporting Centre in October 1992 in Kuala Lumpur. The Centre is financed by voluntary contributions
from a number of companies and provides its services free of charge to all vessels irrespective of ownership or flag.

Services

• To receive reports of suspicious or unexplained craft movements, boarding and armed robbery from ships
and to alert other ships and law enforcement agencies in the area
• To issue status reports of piracy and armed robbery via daily broadcasts on Inmarsat-C through its
SafetyNET service. Ships can also obtain these status reports by contacting the Centre
• To collate and analyse information received and issue consolidated reports to relevant bodies, including the
International Maritime Organization
• To assist owners and crews of ships that have been attacked
• To locate vessels that have been seized by pirates and recover stolen cargoes

Piracy reporting service

The IMB Piracy Reporting Centre maintains a round-the-clock watch every day of the year. In close collaboration with
law enforcement, the Centre acts on reports of suspicious shipping movements, piracy and armed robbery at sea
anywhere in the world. The Centre broadcasts daily status bulletins to ships at sea. These broadcasts cover Africa,
Middle East, Indian Sub Continent, South East Asia, the Far East, Central America, South America and the
Caribbean Waters. Quarterly reports are made available to interested bodies, including the International Maritime
Organization. IMB publishes the Centre's annual report Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships.

Weekly piracy report on the Internet

The IMB has taken its fight against piracy onto the Internet with weekly updates of attacks and warnings. The report is
compiled from the piracy reporting service's daily status bulletins . The regular reports contain details of the location
and nature of attacks and allow companies to put their ships' masters on special alert when they are passing through
waters in which recent piratical attacks have been reported.
Click here for the latest weekly piracy report

Secure-Ship
Secure-Ship is the most recent and effective innovation in the fight against piracy. It is a non-lethal, electrifying fence
surrounding the whole ship, which has been specially adapted for maritime use. The fence uses 9,000-volt pulse to
deter boarding attempts. An intruder coming in contact with the fence will receive an unpleasant non-lethal shock that
will result in the intruder abandoning the attempted boarding. At the same time an alarm will go off, activating
floodlights and a very loud siren. The IMB strongly recommends ship owners to install this device on board their
ships. Further details can be obtained at www.secure-ship.com

ShipLoc

ShipLoc is an inexpensive satellite tracking system, which allows shipping companies, armed only with a personal
computer with Internet access, to monitor the exact location of their vessels. In addition to anti-hijacking role, ShipLoc
facilitates independent and precise location of ships at regular intervals. ShipLoc is fully compliant with the IMO
Regulation SOLAS XI-2/6 adopted during the diplomatic conference in December 2002, concerning a Ship Security
Alert System. The ship security alert system regulation that will be put into place as of July 2004, requires ships of
over 500 GT to be equipped with an alarm system in order to reinforce ship security. The system allows the crew, in
case of danger, to activate an alarm button that automatically sends a message to the ship owner and to competent
authorities. The message is sent without being able to be detected by someone on-board or by other ships in the
vicinity. ShipLoc is contained in a small, discrete waterproof unit which includes: an Argos transmitter, a GPS
receiver, a battery pack in case of main power failure, and a flat antenna. ShipLoc,endorsed by the IMB, is the most
reliable and inexpensive system as of today. For more information, please visit www.shiploc.com

Quarterly, Annual and Special Reports

The IMB piracy reports are widely acknowledged as an authoritative source of information by the industry and various
government agencies, including the United Nations. The reports seek not only to list the facts, but also to analyse
developments in piracy and to identify piracy-prone areas so that the crews can take preventive action. Click here to
order

Voluntary contributions
During the current year, the Piracy Reporting Centre is being financed via voluntary contributions from the following
companies:

Associazione Nazionale Fra Le Impresse Assicuratrici (ANIA), Italy

Britannia Steam Ship Insurance Association Limited, UK
Fafalios Shipping S.A, Greece
GARD P&I, Norway
Government of Cyprus
International Operations S A, Athens Branch, Greece
Japan P&I Club, Japan
KG Projex-Schiffahrts GMBH, Hamburg, Germany
Novorossiysk Shipping Company, Russia
Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF)
Oman Insurance Company (P.S.C), Dubai - UAE
Petroships Private Ltd, Singapore
Reederei Nord Klaus E Oldendorff Ltd, Cyprus
Samios Shipping Company S.A, Piraeus, Greece
Seaarland Shipping Management Geselleschaft mbh, Austria
SCIO Shipping Inc, New York, U.S.A
SKULD
Standard SteamshipOwners' Protection and Indemnity Association (Bermuda)
Limited
Steamship Mutual Underwriting Association (Bermuda) Limited
The North of England P&I Association Ltd, UK
Thoresen and Company (Bangkok) Ltd, Thailand
Union of Greek Shipowners, Greece
United Arab Shipping Co SAG, Kuwait
Wallenius Marine AB, Stockholm, Sweden

The IMB Piracy Reporting Centre is located at:

ICC International Maritime Bureau
PO Box 12559
50782 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
24 hour anti piracy helpline

Tel. +60 3 2031 0014

Fax +60 3 2078 5769
TELEX MA31880 IMBPCI
E-mail imbkl@icc-ccs.org.uk