Kenya, on Saturday, November 12, benefited from a new Indian Ocean classification set to save the country billions in shillings annually.
The five largest global shipping industry associations Best Management Practice (BMP-5), delisted the ocean from the high-risk area classification.
(BMP-5) looks to deter piracy and enhance maritime security in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea.
As a high-risk area, the country was paying billions to shipping lines for insurance of their goods.
“Removing the Indian Ocean from the list classified as high-risk areas (HRA) is a major boost for trade for Kenya and the wider Eastern African region.
“The discontinuation of the Indian Ocean as a High-Risk Area will save businesses billions of shillings in insurance fees, ultimately lowering the prices of goods in Kenya and the wider eastern African region," Kenyan Mission in the UK announced.
Declassification will also enhance security on the waters.
The process of declassifying the Indian Ocean was lobbied by a multi-agency team from Kenya that was supported by Kenya High Commission in London.
One of the reasons that prompted BMP-5 to declassify the Indian Ocean was enhanced security in the area.
The Kenya High Commission in London announced that the changes will be effected on January 1, 2023.
“This will allow shipowners and security providers to adjust operations as chart amendments by hydrographic organisations and other stakeholders are completed,” the commission explained.
The HRA was created at the height of the Somali piracy threat in 2010 to protect shipowners, operators, and seafarers from plying routes patrolled by pirates.
However, a downtrend of piracy attacks in the Indian Ocean was recorded over the past years. The decline was attributed to Kenya’s increased vigilance in the waters and crack down on Al Shabaab extremists.
