blog rss Newsroom Blog

Richard Meade

Stowaway solution

By Richard Meade

Wednesday 3 February 2010

THE fact that shipping is still having to deal with stowaways in 2010 can often draw incredulous looks from perfectly sensible people unacquainted with the stark realities of the industry.

Much like the perennial battle against piracy, it is often assumed that such clichéd issues would have died out long ago.

The truth is that they should have, but even in this post-September 11 climate of heightened security awareness, people can still board ships without being stopped.

Suggestions that stowaway numbers are once again on the rise make a mockery of the International Ship and Port Facilities Security Code and it is a worrying sign of the times that shipowners now feel the need to install secure cabins on their ships in which to detain stowaways.

Under the ISPS Code, contracting governments have to approve ship and port facility security plans, which begs the obvious question of why, if these plans are being checked and properly applied, are stowaway cases not being reduced?

Indeed, one of the functional requirements of the code is to prevent unauthorised access to ships, port facilities and their restricted areas.

Eradicating the problem entirely is a task beyond shipowners alone. It is impossible for them to second guess the security failings of ports, stevedores and box stuffers over which they have no control. Nevertheless it a problem that demands their direct attention.

Given the security sensitivities that we as an industry profess to have taken seriously, it is time that the issue of stowaways was dealt with once and for all.

Sign up to the FREE Lloyd's List email bulletin

Post your comment

Comments are limited to 2000 characters and will be approved before display.









To display as 'anonymous' tick box.

Verify code:

Recent activity

Monthly archive

Maritime Blogroll