Important changes to Gulf of Guinea security support & advice

The Maritime Trade Information Sharing Centre – Gulf of Guinea (MTISC-GoG) has made the following announcement regarding the closure of the original project and commencement of a new Anglo-French operation with effect from 0800 20th June 2016.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT THE FUTURE OF MTISC-GoG AND NEW FR/UK REPORTING CENTRE - Update 15th June 2016

As advised, the Maritime Trade Information Sharing Centre – Gulf of Guinea (MTISC-GoG) will close following the successful conclusion of the Pilot Project and France and the United Kingdom will commence a new virtual reporting centre, allowing the mission established by the MTISC to continue.

Over the past months, together with key stakeholders, OCIMF has carefully reviewed the outcomes of the MTISC-GoG Pilot Project, with the aim of establishing a sustainable reporting programme. The French and UK authorities, taking into account both their own experience and the role of MTISC-GoG in the region, have decided to offer a new contribution to the maritime information network in the Gulf of Guinea through a virtual reporting centre.

New FR/UK Centre – MDAT-GoG
The new FR/UK Centre, called Marine Domain Awareness for Trade – Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG), will commence operations at 0800 GMT on 20th June 2016. MDAT-GoG will be operated by the Navies of France and the United Kingdom from centres in Brest, France, and in Portsmouth, England.

MDAT-GoG contact details:
Email: watchkeepers@mdat-gog.org

Telephone: +33(0)2 98 22 88 88

Calls to this number will be answered either in Brest or in Portsmouth.

Maritime Security Chart
A new maritime security chart will be made available on the Hydrographic Office website and a number of shipping industry organisations websites.

MTISC-GoG website
The MTISC-GoG website will be taken down at 0800 GMT on 20th June and replaced with a holding page providing the contact details for the new FR/UK structure. 

MTISC-GoG Maritime Security Guidance (MSG)
MSG will no longer be supported or updated after 20th June and will be withdrawn from the OCIMF and MTISC-GoG websites.

Emails to MTISC-GoG to be forwarded to the new FR/UK Centre
To help with the transition of reporting to the new FR/UK reporting structure, MTISC-GoG began forwarding copies of reporting emails from vessels to the new FR/UK structure at 0800GMT on 14th June. Companies/vessels were requested to advise if they did not want to have their emails forwarded.

If companies do not give permission for their emails to be forwarded they are requested to advise MTISC-GoG as soon as possible otherwise no action is required.

FR/UK authorities have confirmed that all emails forwarded to FR/UK centre during this period will not be forwarded to any third party and will be deleted by 17th July.

Data Security
MTISC-GoG can confirm all data provided to the centre during its course of operation will be deleted.

MTISC-GoG would like to thank all those who have reported to the Centre for their support over the last two years.