Guidance Under Anti-Piracy Law

The Protection of Cyprus Ships Against Acts of Piracy and Other Unlawful Acts Law 2012 regulates the use of private security contractors on board Cyprus ships.¹ It requires contractors providing services to Cyprus ships to be authorised by the Department of Merchant Shipping and sets out the obligations and rights of the ship's master, personnel and other persons on board with regard to ship security.

Articles 70 and 81 of the law empower the minister of transport, communications and works to issue instructions on its implementation and establish the procedures and requirements for the reissue, renewal or extension of certificates issued to private ship security contractors, and to delegate these powers to the Department of Merchant Shipping. Based on experience gained through implementation of the law to date, the department recently issued instructions to cancel the authorisation of inactive private ship security contractors and to regulate the number of private