AUGUST 16, 2011 CIRCULAR NO. 22/11 TO MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION Dear Member: BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR PROTECTION AGAINST SOMALIABASED PIRACY The fourth edition of best management practices for protection against Somalia-based piracy has recently been published under the auspices of several shipping industry associations including BIMCO, Intertanko, Intercargo, the ICS and the International Group of P&I Clubs. Also known as BMP4, this latest guide has been produced in consultation with EUNAVFOR, the NATO Shipping Center, and UKMTO, and updates the guidance provided in BMP3 which was published in July 2010 and was the subject of Club Circular No. 19/10 of July 6, 2010. For a PDF version of BMP4, please click here. In addition, Intercargo has produced a document which compares the content of BMP4 with that of BMP3, to enable users to quickly identify the main changes and updates made to the later version. This can be downloaded from the Intercargo website at: http://www.intercargo.org/piracy.html As emphasized in Club Circulars No. 21/09 and 19/10, your Managers urge strict adherence to this latest BMP guide in order to minimize both the physical risks of transiting the areas in question and the possibility of subsequent allegations of unseaworthiness and/or breach of duty which might be raised by charterers, cargo owners or other third parties in the event of an attempted, or successful, incident of piracy. Should anything further be required by Members by way of explanation of the foregoing, or generally, your Managers will be happy to respond. Yours faithfully, Joseph E.M. Hughes, Chairman & CEO Shipowners Claims Bureau, Inc., Managers for THE AMERICAN CLUB