Today marks the 34th celebration of World Maritime Day. This year's theme, chosen by the IMO, is "Piracy: orchestrating the response". In his World Maritime Day message, IMO secretary-general Efthimios E Mitropoulos called for no effort should be spared to alleviate the problem posed by piracy in the Indian Ocean. He said that the UN, alliances of states, governments acting collectively or individually, military forces, shipping companies, ship operators and crews all had a crucial part to play eradicate the threat.
"Shipping companies must ensure that their ships rigorously apply the IMO guidance and industry-developed Best Management Practices in their entirety, so that, when venturing into the western Indian Ocean region, they comply with all the recommended measures," said Mitropoulos. "No ship is invulnerable, in particular those with relatively low freeboards and slow steaming speeds.
"And governments need to back up their oft-stated concern over the situation by deploying military and other resources commensurate, in numbers and technology, with the scale of the problem and with a realistic chance of dealing with it effectively."
Mitropoulos stressed that despite the IMO's efforts, it cannot alone supply an instant solution to the issue, noting that while piracy manifests itself at sea, the roots of the problem are to be found ashore. He noted that some success in thwarting pirate attacks can already be claimed, as seen in the falling percentage of successful attacks. However, he maintained that the threat posed by piracy and armed robbery against ships remains "real and ever-present dangers".
Mitropoulos concluded by calling for more to be done, including the capture, prosecution and punishment of all those involved in piracy; the tracing of ransom money; and the confiscation of proceeds of crime derived from hijacked ships.
"In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers are with those seafarers, who, at present, are in the hands of pirates," he added. "May they all be released unharmed and returned to their families soon."
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has marked World Maritime Day by producing a special brochure on the issue of piracy. The brochure is intended to reiterate the urgent need for governments to do more to protect merchant shipping from being attacked by Somali pirates. While the document expresses appreciation for the efforts of IMO member states and naval forces to protect merchant ships from Somali pirates, the ICS also voices deep concern that little real progress is being made towards developing any radical new strategy that will deliver immediate results. It also recognises that the long-term solution will have to be found within Somalia itself, supported by practical measures such as the establishment of a local coast guard.
The brochure can be downloaded at www.ics-shipping.org.
