SHIPPING INDUSTRY CHANGES STANCE ON ARMED GUARDS

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) is the principal international trade association for shipowners, representing all sectors and trades and about 80% of the world merchant fleet.

ICS - whose Executive Committee comprising representatives of national shipowners’ associations from over 30 countries met in London last week - has decided to clarify its stance on the use of private armed security guards to defend merchant ships against attacks by Somali pirates.   ICS members have also identified a vital need for the military to disable the hijacked ‘motherships’ which the pirates are now using to launch attacks throughout much of the Indian Ocean.  

ICS Chairman, Spyros M Polemis, explained:

“ICS has had to acknowledge that the decision to engage armed guards, whether military or private, is a decision to be made by the ship operator after due consideration of all of the risks, and subject to the approval of the vessel’s flag state and insurers.   The consensus view amongst shipping industry associations remains that, in normal circumstances, private armed guards are not recommended, and are a clear second best to military personnel.   However, in view of the current crisis in the Indian Ocean - with over 700 seafarers held hostage and, most recently, a seafarer being executed – ship operators must be able to retain all possible options available to deter attacks and defend their crews against piracy.   Many shipping companies have concluded that arming ships is a necessary alternative to avoiding the Indian Ocean completely, which would have a hugely damaging impact on the movement of world trade."

M.V. ”Beluga Nomination” piracy incident : JOINT STATEMENT of the JOINT MANNING GROUP (JMG), and the ASSOCIATED MARINE OFFICERS’ AND SEAFARERS’ UNION OF THE PHILIPPINES (AMOSUP-PTGWO-ITF)

JOINT STATEMENT of the
JOINT MANNING GROUP (JMG), and the
ASSOCIATED MARINE OFFICERS’ AND SEAFARERS’ UNION OF THE PHILIPPINES (AMOSUP-PTGWO-ITF)
05  February  2010,  Manila,  Philippines  
On the M.V. ”Beluga Nomination” piracy incident
 

The  officers  and  representatives  of  five  national  organizations  belonging  to  the  Joint  Manning  Group  (JMG)  and  the  Associated  Marine  Officers’  and  Seamen’s  Union  of  the  Philippines  (AMOSUP‐PTGWO‐ITF)  express  deep  concern  over  the  piracy  incident  involving  the  international  cargo  vessel  M.V.  Beluga  Nomination  that  already  claimed  the  life  of  a  Filipino  Seafarer.  
 
M.V.  Beluga  Nomination  was  attacked  in  the  afternoon  of  22  January  2011  by  a  fast  craft  with  an  unknown  number  of  pirates.  Four  days  later,  an  element  of  the  Combined  Maritime  Forces  (CMF)  in  the  area  attempted  to  rescue  the  vessel’s  crew,  during  which  one  pirate  was  killed.  
 
The  pirates,  in  retaliation,  shot  and  killed  a  Filipino  crew  member.  During  the  incident,  two  crew  members,  one  of  whom  is  a  Filipino,  managed  to  escape.  The  other  two,  one  Filipino  and  one  East  European,  are  still  missing  and  are  now  the  subject  of  continuing  search  and  rescue  operation.  

DOLE CONDEMNS KILLING OF FILIPINO SEAFARER; PLANS ACTION WITH MANNING INDUSTRY ON BETTER PROTECTION OF SEAMEN AGAINST PIRACY

MV Beluga Nomination (Image Source: NATO)

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz yesterday strongly condemned the killing of a Filipino seafarer in the hands of Somali pirates as a "senseless disregard for human life", and said the Department has discussed with its tripartite partners a plan of action containing measures on how to better safeguard and protect Filipino seafarers on board international vessels traversing the pirates-infested waters of the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.

"We express outrage over this senseless disregard for human life and we condemn in the strongest possible terms the atrocity of the Somali pirates," she said. "We are also saddened by this tragic incident, and deeply condole with the family and relatives of the deceased Filipino seaman.