On 01 February 2009, the Maritime Security Patrol Area (MSPA) in the Gulf of Aden (GOA) was revised to reduce the risk of collision between vessels utilizing the corridor, provide a measure of traffic separation, and allow maritime forces to conduct deterrent operations in the GOA with a greater degree of flexibility.

All vessels planning to transit the GOA after 0001Z 01 Feb 2009 should plan to use the revised corridor.

Revisions to the corridor include the creation of separate east bound and west bound transit lanes. Each lane will be 5 nm wide and will be separated by a 2 nm buffer zone.

The east bound lane will begin at 045 East between 11 48 North and 11 53 North. The lane will be oriented along a straight line course of 072 degrees and terminate at 053 degrees East between 14 18 North and 14 23 North.

The west bound lane will begin at 053 degreesEast between 14 25 North and 14 30 North. The lane will be oriented along a course of 252 and terminate at 045 degrees East between 11 55 North and 12 00 North.

These new coordinates are effective from 0001Z 01 Feb 2009 and Warships will be positioned to best support vessels in this revised UKMTO transit corridor.

The way the patrols are set up on the corridor, is that each ship is given a sector for which they are responsible. So along the entire route there are warships patrolling. If yachts stay in the corridor or to the north, depending how they have to sail with the wind, they stand the best chance of being nearby a warship or the Yemeni Coastguard (who have been quite effective as well).

Further detailed information and advice from the US Maritime Administration is at www.madad.dot.gov