Maritime Security Patrol Area

The Maritime Security Patrol Area (MSPA) is a specified patrol zone in the Gulf of Aden and Guardafui Channel. Its borders are unmarked, but are a narrow, rectangular corridor between Somalia and Yemen, within the northern sector of the gulf. The MSPA was established 22 August 2008 by the Combined Task Force 150, (CTF-150) a multinational, coalition naval task force in order to deter de-stabilizing activities, including piracy within this maritime geographical area. The establishment of the MSPA was directed by the Commander, United States Naval Central Command.^{[2][3][4][5][6]}

"I have just come home from Port Said, after successfully commanding a slow speed laden bulk carrier through the Gulf of Aden. We followed the courses through the MSPA (Maritime Security Patrol Area) corridor, which is patrolled by naval fleet. It was a very tense 40-hour passage. We witnessed an attempted attack just 10 miles behind us, one successful hijacking and another two attempts just close." --Captain Vinayak Anant Marathe, India (2008)

^[1]

See also

• Piracy in Somalia

References

1. "Capt Vinayak Anant Marathe, India". bbc.co.uk. 18 November 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-05.
2. "Maritime Security Patrol Area (MSPA) in the Gulf of Aden Established". newsletterscience.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-14. Retrieved 2008-11-30.
3. "Coalition warships set up Maritime Security Patrol area in the Gulf of Aden". icc-ccs.org. 26 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-30.
4. "Combined Task Force 150 Thwarts Criminal Activities". cusnc.navy.mil. September 22, 2008. Archived from the original on October 28, 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-30.
5. "Gulf of Aden Martime [sic] Security Zone". eaglespeak.us. August 31, 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
6. "Piracy - Somalia and Gulf of Aden". simsl.com. November 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-04.

External links

• Map of the Area
• The Cost of Doing Business on the Open Sea by Richard Pollak, The Nation, April 22, 2009