Developments in piracy off West Africa worries Danish Maritime Officers. The organization calls on the equal protection of seafarers and ships as in East Africa, and payment of hardship allowance and the right to disembark.

By Jakob Wandel | 29 89 00 98 | jw@soefartens.org  

Maritime Officers is watching, with growing concern, the development of pirate attacks on civilian shipping off West Africa. The association therefore took up the issue at a meeting of the DIS Liaison Committee held on Wednesday 29 January.

• In our view, companies sharpen their risk assessments for operations on West Africa, focusing on the areas and types of ships are most vulnerable to attack, says Fritz Ganzhorn, Director of Maritime Officers.

Would the same conditions apply as in East Africa?

He believes that companies also should implement better protection of vulnerable vessels with measures that make it harder for pirates to get on board and make greater use of armed guards; measures currently used widely in the waters off the Horn of Africa and in the Indian Ocean.

• At the meeting it was pointed out that we also know that many of our members wonder which companies do not pay a so-called hardship allowance for wages, when operating on West Africa, as is the case off East Africa, says Fritz Ganzhorn.

Carriers said at the meeting that so far they will continue to track and monitor the situation closely before deciding on further action.

Important that piracy does not develop

• We are aware that the situation is basically better in West Africa than in Somalia, as there is a government in all countries along the West African coast. Pirates have, therefore, found it harder to hijack ships and cargoes and then sail in safety to the shore, says Fritz Ganzhorn;
• It allows us to turn our concern to that of the sailors on the ships, even more so is the subject of pirate crime, both by assault, theft and also kidnapping. It is, therefore, important that the situation be taken very seriously, and that West African piracy is not allowed to develop, he says.

West African threat also right signings

The Maritime executives believe that conditions and pirate threat in West Africa, as in East Africa meets the requirements of Seamen Act § 18a and b, and thus gives seafarers the right to disembark if they do not wish to go into the field.

• The problem is that the sailors face the real risk of being terminated from the company. It is, therefore, important that companies and governments jointly contribute to make it as safe as possible to sail to West Africa, says Fritz Ganzhorn.

Originally published 1 March 2013, the views expressed are those of the Danish Maritime Officers contributor and do not necessarily reflect those of OCEANUSLive.