Seafarer Welfare Discussed as Piracy-Related Violence Increases off West Africa
A JOINT forum, organised by Oceans Beyond Piracy and the International Maritime Bureau, to discuss the human cost of West African maritime crime was held on September 23rd at Army and Navy Club (The Rag) in London, UK.
International Maritime Bureau
International Maritime Bureau (IMB) statistics indicate that maritime crime off the coast of West Africa is trending toward an escalation in violence. The number of casualties (wounded and killed) in the first 9 months of 2014 is significantly higher than the total for all of 2013. A recent Oceans Beyond Piracy study found that in 2013 over 1,200 seafarers faced criminals who succeeded boarding vessels in West Africa, and nearly 300 of these seafarers were held hostage.
Against such worrying factors a panel of maritime experts discussed the significance of the latest developments in West African maritime crime, the level of associated violence on seafarers and how maritime stakeholders are committing to address this problem.
The organizers, Oceans Beyond Piracy and the International Maritime Bureau, highlighted the efforts of major Flag States and their continued commitment to reporting the human aspects of maritime crime, and seafarer advocacy groups will describe their work to assist seafarers affected by maritime piracy.
The panel, moderated by Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent of OBP, the panelists including Pottengal Mukundan of the IMB, Tim Hart a maritime security analyst, Douglas Stevenson of the Seamen’s Church Institute, and Peter Swift of Maritime Piracy Humanitarian
Response Programme, emphasised the importance of consistent reporting of crimes in understanding the degree to which seafarers of the coast of West Africa undergo violence or distress, as the IMB estimates that nearly two-thirds of such attacks go unreported.
Unlike off the coast of Somalia, where pirates have been discouraged by navies and private security companies, West African pirates are undeterred by regional navies and more willing to engage with security personnel. Due to the complex models of maritime crime off West Africa, seafarer welfare is often of little concern to the attackers. Furthermore, trends indicate a worrying increase in kidnap-for-ransom cases.
"A common misperception is that piracy and other violent crimes at sea represent victimless crime. In real it, however, many seafarers suffer from physical or psychological abuse, and the impact on them can be severe and long-lasting as well as on their families," says Peter Swift.
Peter Swift, formerly Managing Director of INTERTANKO, went on to state that, “for each seafarer affected by a piracy incident, at least 5 family members are also affected.” He said seafarers need support in their home countries when they return to their families which he emphasised by the example of a Chief officer having been shot dead, but who looks after his widow and family? Or a Third Officer who was injured during a pirate attack, taken ashore with the crew and kept captive in a swamp suffering torture and abuse, and in one particular case, witnessing the killing of 12 pirates by their fellow criminals; who provides support after such traumatic circumstances once they return home? He continued to say that seafarers should be encouraged to be part of the information sharing community; reporting of maritime crimes may not be of direct benefit but may very well help other seafarers.
In order to facilitate better understanding of the impact of the violence, major flag States, including Liberia, the Marshall Island, St Kitts & Nevis, and Panama have agreed to provide detailed, but anonymous, information to be compiled by the IMB. This is consistent with the information provided by these flag States in the Declaration Condemning Violence Against Seafarers related to acts of Somali piracy signed in 2011. Additionally, this effort will now be supported by the major seafaring nations, India and the Philippines, whose seafarers are disproportionately affected.
| Flag and Seafaring States with OBP's Adm Sir James Burnell-Nugent & Jon Huggins |
OBP Fellow, Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent said, “We commend and thank these States for taking action to improve the safety of seafarers and see this as a first step towards mobilising a more effective response to these crimes and hope that others will join them in the near future.”
According to Pottengal Mukundan, Director of IMB, “The information provided for crimes off Somalia helped to give us a more complete picture of the maritime crime problem and has assisted companies and States to identify policies that best support seafarers. We expect this will be the case with West Africa as well.”
The significant increase of lethal violence and kidnapping off the West African coast underscores the importance of seafarer advocacy groups, including the Seaman’s Church Institute and Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme, which are constantly identifying ways to deliver the assistance that they provide to the victims of these crimes. “We must step in to protect the seas’ most valuable resource: the juan beings who live and work on ships,” said Douglas Stevenson of SCI.
Agreeing that there are significant sensitivities associated with the reporting of information regarding acts of piracy and armed robbery against merchant vessels and they seafarers, and the increasing use of violence as an instrument of piratical acts, and that all reporting bodies or agencies should be sensitive to the concerns of the seafarers and their families, and, unless already within the public domain, refrain from reporting or confirming names of any vessel upon which acts are committed, until such time as the vessel owners or operators can confirm notification to next of kin; the signatory flag States affirmed their commitment to supply information by the Declaration Condemning Acts of Violence Against Seafarers off West Africa.
The Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Fund (MPHRF) is for the MPHRP or other welfare organisations to provide financial assistance to seafarers and/or their immediate family members who are directly affected by piracy and armed robbery at sea.
While seafarers are being held hostage there is little that can be done to help them or care for their personal needs. However, knowing that someone is taking care of their families and that there will be someone to help them on release gives them reassurance.
Prompted by the needs of seafarers to have this reassurance, the Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme has, with its partners in the insurance and maritime industry, launched a Fund which will help by providing small, but effective, grants to seafarers and their families for expenses such as:
- help for medical care
- counselling
- travel costs to get help
- school fees for their children
- rent when the family is faced with eviction
- and in extreme cases food to keep them alive
If you wish to donate to MPHRF please email fund@mphrp.org for more information and details of how to support these seafarers and their families. Alternatively, please complete the form at MPHRPF to pledge a donation today.
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