|
Seafarers’ welfare in connection with acts of piracy debated at meeting under the United Nations
In a working group under the United Nations’ contact group on piracy, the industry and the seafarers’ organisations presented their draft guidelines on acts of piracy at a meeting held in London on 18-19 March 2010.
At the meeting, they presented their work drawing up guidelines for shipping companies and masters of ships on what to do to assist seafarers and their families in case of acts of piracy. These guidelines contain recommendations on how to act before, during and after acts of piracy. It is the intention that the industry and the seafarers’ organisations present the draft to the IMO Maritime Safety Committee (MSC 87) in May 2010.
At the same meeting, Best Management Practices (BMP) were also discussed, including the fact that about 25 per cent of all ships do not observe them. BMPs are guidelines aimed specifically at ships in the waters off the coast of Somalia. It was highly emphasized that the risk of acts of piracy is reduced very significantly if the BMPs are observed and if the ship reports to the MSCHO (Maritime Security Centre Horn Of Africa) and to the UKMTO (UK Maritime Trade Operations). Almost all ships that are attacked have not observed the recommendations.
Consequently, the Danish Maritime Authority still urges all ships operating in areas with a risk of acts of piracy and armed robbery to take the necessary precautions for preventing such acts. In this connection, reference is made to the Technical Regulation issued by the Danish Maritime Authority on this issue, which is available here.
Further information and relevant links are available from the webpage of the Danish Maritime Authority here.
If you would like to learn more about the Danish Maritime Authority’s work on piracy, please contact Ditte Helene Bang by phone +45 39 17 46 92 or by e-mail: dba@dma.dk.
|