Beacon No. 1 2004 - Skuld

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18 BEACON Photo: Courtesy of the U.S.Coast Guard
The U.S. Coast Guard prepare to search a suspicious container for stowaways • Consider whether to employ private guards, especially at sensitive ports Generally Check the cargo stow thoroughly, storerooms, cabins, crane cabins, Master’s houses, engine room bilges, forecastle, anchor chains and chain lockers. Stevedores Stevedores in poor countries are also likely stowaway targets. Thus, check stevedores’ identity and the number of stevedores for each shift, possibly retaining their identity cards until the shift ends. Know who is coming on board Make sure that only authorised personnel gain entry to the vessel. Check and, where possible, retain and record the identity documents of each person entering the vessel. If the identity documents look suspicious, contact your P&I representative, since there have been reports of stowaways posing as authorised agents and visitors to gain access. If you find a stowaway on board Remember to use caution. The stowaway may be armed and dangerous. Notify the Master immediately. Always have more than one crew member approach the stowaway. This is for the crew’s own safety and to protect the crew/owners against false accusations of crew brutality. • Disarm the stowaway and remove drugs and other items that could cause injury to the stowaway or the crew • For the vessel’s safety, place the stowaway in a secure area/cabin with limited secure portholes • The stowaway should be given food and water and be treated humanely • Get as much information from the stowaway as possible What information should you get? Identity details and travel documents if available. Ask the stowaway his age, nationality, family history, how and when he boarded the vessel, if he had help from anyone, last employment or education if any, etc. Any information, if not false or misleading, may help identify where the stowaway is from. Photograph the stowaway and e-mail to the club/owners. This allows the club to start the process of identifying the stowaway and getting him disembarked at the next possible port. The ISPS Code The ISPS (International Ship and Port facility Security) Code will come into force on 1 July 2004. For a detailed analysis of the Code please refer to separate articles in this issue of Beacon and in issue no. 2, 2003. As the provisions of the Code apply to the security of both ships and the port facilities, there is a debate whether this code will alleviate the problem of stowaways. Historically, criticism was levied at Governments and port facilities for a perceived inadequacy in security arrangements and the prevention of access by unauthorised personnel to port facilities and vessels. Does ISPS affect stowaways? Under the ISPS Code, contracting Governments will have to approve ship and port facility security plans. Indeed, one of the functional requirements of the Code is to prevent unauthorised access to ships, port facilities and their restricted areas. Measures taken by all parties to comply with the Code should at least assist in eradicating the ‘opportunist stowaway’. However, it may be more difficult, to eradicate the possibility of stevedores who decide to stowaway. It may also be difficult to eliminate the stowaways that enter a container vessel on board a container, as greater checks will be needed at the place of stuffing the container, which may not necessarily be the same as the port facility. Conclusion This writer, an eternal optimist, hopes that with time and the measures taken by all relevant parties to comply with the ISPS Code, the problem of stowaways will be relegated to the history books. BEACON 19
Page 1 and 2: Chicken Run - killer viruses, now a
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS PAGE 6 PAGE 10 PAGE 16 PAG
Page 5 and 6: a growing market She is familiar wi
Page 7 and 8: Marine bulk carrier and tanker vess
Page 9 and 10: LOSS PREVENTION Photo: Scanpix Cond
Page 11 and 12: iruses, now and forever First there
Page 13 and 14: Bird flu has jumped the species bar
Page 15 and 16: Photo: Courtesy of the U.S.Coast Gu
Page 17: Photo: Scanpix A stowaway from the
Page 21 and 22: Around 60% of Smit Salvage’s work
Page 23 and 24: Don’t let the ISPS Code put your
Page 25 and 26: Suit For the purposes of English la
Page 27 and 28: LEGAL NOTES Ronny Larsen, Claims Ex
Page 29 and 30: Photo: Scanpix U.S. Courts adopt a
Page 31 and 32: Contact Skuld HONG KONG Christian R

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