Lieutenant Chris Parry Awarded MBE in the new years honours list

Chris (38), who joined the Naval Reserves in 1994 and the UKHO in 2006, is currently leading a team at the UKHO which is based in Taunton.

The team works closely with the Royal Navy Reserves (in which Chris is a Lt Cdr based at HMS Flying Fox in Bristol) to deliver safety and security information to merchant ships and warships involved in or transiting through operational areas.

Chris, who is married to wife Rosie and lives in Martock, Somerset, said:

“It has been a real challenge to make sure that all elements of the maritime infrastructure are joined up.

"This means that ships get navigation warnings alerting them to pirate activity and that the charts and publication that they use provide consistent advice on what routes to take, who to report to, self protective measures and what to do when attacked.”

This work has involved many firsts for Chris and the team, not least the creation of a new type of chart specifically for the piracy problem off Somalia and engaging with many overseas organisations to make sure merchant ships stay safe.

Chris said:

“This is a great honour especially as what we do is only a small part of the work which goes into the international anti piracy effort.”

The aim of AWNIS is to collate, coordinate and communicate navigational safety and security information to merchant shipping and military authorities within an operational area. Wherever the military interacts with the maritime environment there is a requirement for AWNIS.

Currently members of the Royal Naval Reserve AWNIS specialisation are mobilised as part of the UK Maritime Trade Organisation in Dubai, EU Naval Force Headquarters (Northwood), UK naval operations across the globe and until recently supporting operations off Libya from Naples.

As a reservist since 1994, Chris was mobilised to Iraq in 2003 as part of the invasion and over the last three years, together with his AWNIS team, has been deployed to support operations off Libya and Somalia. The later has involved working closely with the EU, NATO and UK forces off Somalia to deliver safety advice to merchant ships which are transiting through the piracy high risk area.

UKHO Chief Executive Ian Moncrieff CBE said:

“This is a well deserved and fitting public recognition of his excellent work and that of the AWNIS team on anti-piracy support to all mariners and their contribution to operations off the North African littoral.”

In 2008, Chris was presented with a Lord Lieutenant’s Certificate for Meritorious Service in the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR). The award recognised individuals amongst the Reserve Forces and Cadets community, whose performance in service is exceptional.