The Protection of Cyprus Ships Against Acts of Piracy and Other Unlawful Acts Law of 2012 (Law 77/2012) was published in the official gazette of the Republic of Cyprus on 15 June 2012. The Shipping Deputy Ministry has prepared an unofficial translation of Law 77(I) of 2012 which may be downloaded by clicking here. A copy of Law 77(I) of 2012 must be placed on board every Cyprus flag vessel. The Master and Shipboard personnel all ships flying the Cyprus flag are required to become aware of the provisions of Law 77(I) of 2012 as the aforesaid law has a global geographical application and establishes new rights and obligations for them.
Risk and High Risk Areas
The present law has a global geographical application. Two geographical areas are defined as high risk areas. The coordinates and description of the high risk areas are found in First Schedule of The Protection of Cyprus Ships Against Acts of Piracy and Other Unlawful Acts Law of 2012.
Applications submitted to the Shipping Deputy Ministry
1) Applications submitted for the approval of private ship security companies – article 21 of Law 77(I) of 2012.
The application for the issue of the certificate is submitted by the legal person or by its authorized representative in the official language of the Republic, or in a language understood by the Competent Authority and shall contain the information and be accompanied by the documentation referred to in the provisions of article 21 (2) of Law 77(I) of 2012 and the supporting documentation listed in the Sixth Schedule. All applications shall be forwarded by post or delivered in hand to the Deputy Ministry of Shipping as per the instructions appended in Circular 27/2012 and Supplementary Information on Circular 27/2012, Circular 6/2015 and Circular 10/2015, Circular 1/2016, Circular 9/2017 and Circular 26/2017.
2) Applications submitted for use of services of an approved private ship security company on board a Cyprus flag vessel – article 13 of Law 77(I) of 2012.
The application for the issue of the certificate in relation to the use of the services of a private ship security company is submitted to the Competent Authority by the ship’s operator or by its representative in the Republic, in an official language of the Republic, or in a language understood by the Competent Authority. The application has to include the information and be accompanied by the documentation referred to in the provisions of article 13 (2) and the Fourth Schedule of Law 77(I) of 2012. The application is completed and signed jointly by the ship’s operator and the private ship security company. All applications shall be submitted as per the instructions appended in Circular 27/2012 and Supplementary Information on Circular 27/2012, Circular 6/2015 and Circular 10/2015.
Forms and sample documents
Form EN04F08 - Initial application submitted by a Private Ship Security company seeking certification - Section 21.
Form EN04F17 - Notification by the PSSC for the termination of provision of services - Section 26(2)(b) (submitted by a private ship security company).
Form EN04F19 - Application for the Provision of Services of A Private Ship Security Company to a Ship - Section 13 and Section 16 (submitted by the ship operator and a PSSC).
Form EN04F22 - Application for renewal of the certificate of a Private Ship Security Company (PSSC).
Form EN04F10 - PSSC Information Sheet.
Form EN04F11 - Declarations as per the Sixth Schedule of law 77(I)/2012 (submitted in support of the application submitted by a private ship security company as per section 21(1)).
Fees
Relevant fees have been announced with Circular 7/2017 and described in Notification P.I. 87/2017.
Private Ship Security Companies
The list of private ship security companies that have been issued with a certificate as per the provisions of section 22 of The Protection of Cyprus Ships Against Acts of Piracy and Other Unlawful Acts Law of 2012 can be downloaded from here.
Information Request
In order to obtain further information on The Protection of Cyprus Ships Against Acts of Piracy and Other Unlawful Acts Law of 2012, requests shall be forwarded to the Permanent Secretary of the Shipping Deputy Ministry or at the email address maritime.security@dms.gov.cy .