Due to the ongoing issues regarding embarked security personnel in the West Africa / Gulf of Guinea region, Marshall Island issued a security advisory for clarification. Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Maritime Administrator will no longer issue letters of non-objection (LONOs) for the use of locally sourced vessel protection detachment (VPD) teams, embarked, disembarked, and utilized wholly within the territorial waters of a coastal State.
Vessel Protection Detachment (VPD) shall mean a unit of a national authority of a coastal State, together with its personnel, equipment, firearms and ammunition, which is embarked on board a vessel in order to provide protection against acts or attempted acts of piracy and/or armed robbery within the jurisdiction of said coastal State.
Further it clarifies that Flag state does not object to the use of PMSC or VPD teams. However, it does require that RMI registered vessels operating within the territorial waters of a coastal State abide by all applicable laws and regulations of said coastal State. The principle purpose behind a LONO is to provide assurance to coastal State authorities that the flag State is aware of private armed security personnel embarked on the vessel for protection against piracy, armed robbery and terrorism on the high seas. Since a local VPD team embarks, operates, and disembarks within the jurisdiction of a single coastal State, authorization from the Administrator is neither appropriate nor necessary unless specifically requested by coastal State authorities.
