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FROM LLOYD'S LIST:
Calls grow for use of armed guards
Shipping community change stance as pirates step up use of torture and violence
THE increasing use of torture and violence by Somali pirates on crewmembers of hijacked vessels continues to prompt a change in opinion among industry members on the use of armed guards for ships transiting the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.
As hostage periods rise to an average eight months, the violent actions taken by pirates in a bid to antagonise shipowners negotiating the release of ships is growing.
“I’m not sure if the world knows quite how much torture is being inflicted on seafarers,” an independent hostage negotiator told the audience of Wista UK’s piracy debate on Wednesday.
With hostage numbers rising to a record of over 600 seafarers, 60% of the audience was in favour of having armed guards on board ships transiting the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, with 22% against the motion and 18% undecided.
International Chamber of Shipping secretary-general Peter Hinchliffe asked if the industry could live with a conscience “knowing that seafarers were at danger of torture or worse”.
Masters needed “a full box of tools” at their disposal, including the use of armed guards onboard their ship, and seafarers should not be sent to this area “with their arms tied behind their backs”, he said.
A private security firm founder present had firsthand experience of rocket grenades smashing the windows of the bridge onboard a containership sailing through the area. With 20 years experience in the marines he had “the training to deal with that. Seafarers don’t”.
A member of the insurance community argued that to date, the only measures taken by owners that had guaranteed to deter pirates was having armed guards onboard ships. “There is no confidence at Lloyd’s that necessary measures are being taken. Having crews held hostage in Somali while owners haggle is just distasteful,” he said.
But while placing armed guards on board ships may be a short term solution to protecting crew and ships, in the medium and longer term work needs to be carried out on a larger scale to tackle the growing problem of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.
“The fact is we’re paying them [pirates] more money and not tackling the problem,” International Maritime Industries Forum chairman Jim Davis said.
The maritime industry needs to gain the support of the UN to get a vote through on the rules of engagement that could be put into place and allow military forces to take greater action against piracy, he said.
And in the longer term, the international community must take greater steps towards stabilising Somalia on land. “We’ve got a big job to do,” he said.
OTHER LANGUAGES
FROM THE BALTIC COURSE (RUSSIA):
***Клайпедский суд рассмотрит дело о банкротстве компании Passat
Клайпедский окружной суд будет рассматривать заявление о банкротстве морской компании Passat, передает LETA/ELTA со ссылкой на kurier.lt. Некогда успешная компания, занимавшаяся агентированием судов и подбором команд, имевшая собственный флот и жившая на широкую ногу, уже давно пользуется у моряков недоброй славой.
Членам экипажей судов "Стропус", "Локис" и "Виго" по несколько месяцев, а то и больше года не платят зарплату. Моряки обращались за содействием и в Союз моряков Литвы, и в ITF, самые настойчивые добивались выплаты задолженностей через суд.
"Passat оказался ненадежной компанией. Мы советуем морякам, которые рейс за рейсом работают на его судах, надеясь когда-нибудь получить свои деньги, не тянуть с обращением в суд", предупреждал еще в прошлом году председатель Союза моряков Литвы Пятрас Бекежа, как сообщает kurier.
Инспектор ITF Андрей Чернов, морскому профсоюзу удалось наложить арест на теплоход "Локис", стоявший в английском порту Кардиф, за невыплату зарплаты нескольким членам экипажа. Но есть моряки, которые уже списались с судна, так и не дождавшись денег. Пусть обращаются в морской профсоюз, пока есть возможность истребовать заработанное, иначе после объявления банкротства останутся ни с чем.
TRANSLATION:
Klaipeda court will consider the case of bankruptcy of the company Passat
Danuta Pavilenene, BC, Vilnius, 17.03.2011.versiya Print
Klaipeda district court will consider the declaration of bankruptcy of the marine company's Passat, reports LETA / ELTA citing kurier.lt. Once-successful company, engaged in ship's agency and choice of teams, which had its own navy and lived in grand style, has long been notorious among sailors.
Crew members' Stropus "," Lokys "and" Vigo "for several months, and sometimes more than a year do not pay salaries. Sailors to seek assistance and Seamen's Union of Lithuania, and ITF, the most insistent to seek payment of arrears through the courts.
"Passat was an unreliable company. We advise mariners to operate a flight for the flight on its ships, hoping someday to get their money, not to delay going to court," warned last year the chairman of the Sailors' Union of Lithuania Petras Bekezha, as reported kurier .
ITF inspector Andrey Chernov, maritime union failed to arrest the ship "Lokys" standing in the English port of Cardiff, for failure to pay wages to several members of the crew. But there are sailors who have already discharged, and not waiting for the money. Let turn to the marine trade union, until it is possible to claim earned, or after the declaration of bankruptcy will remain with nothing.
FROM ROMANIA LIBERA:
Captură. Şapte containere cu muniţie şi rachete, găsite de armata israeliană
***Doi români la bordul unei nave cu armament destinat palestinienilor din Hamas
17 Martie 2011
Doi români la bordul unei nave cu armament destinat palestinienilor din Hamas
Nava Victoria
, interceptată în largul coastelor israeliene, are doi români la bord: comandantul şi un alt ofiţer. Cei doi nu ştiau că la bord se aflau arme.
Informaţia că la bordul navei cu armament interceptată de forţele israeliene se află un comandant român a fost confirmată de reprezentantul Federaţiei Interna-ţionale a Transportatorilor (ITF) în România, Adrian Mihălcioiu.
Nava Victoria, care naviga sub pavilion liberian, era deţinută de o companie franceză şi operată de o companie franceză. Ea plecase din Turcia şi se îndrepta spre Egipt.
Nici comandantul, nici membrii echipajului nu ştiau că la bord sunt arme, potrivit armatei israeliene.Mihălcioiu spune că a aflat de la reprezentantul ITF în Israel cei doi români au fost audiaţi de militari israelieni, alături de ceilalţi membri ai echipajului, iar cele şapte containere cu armament au fost confiscate. Nava urma să fie lăsată să plece spre destinaţie după finalizarea audierilor, care erau încă în desfăşurare la închiderea ediţiei. Solicitat să comenteze aceste informaţii, Ministerul român de Externe nu a oferit nici un răspuns până la închiderea ediţiei.
Israelul a anunţat că Turcia nu are nici o legătură cu armele care, probabil, proveneau din Iran şi erau destinate organizaţiei palestiniene Hamas din Gaza.
Din cele 39 de containere transportate, şapte erau pline cu arme, de la muniţii pentru puşti de asalt şi obuze de mortieră la rachete sol-mare de tip S-704, de fabricaţie chineză, care echipează armata iraniană şi care ar putea fi folosite împotriva navelor israeliene.
TRANSLATION:
. Seven containers of ammunition and missiles, the Israeli army found
Two Romanian on board a ship with arms for the Palestinians in Hamas
March 17, 2011
Two Romanian on board a ship with arms for the Palestinians in Hamas
Victoria Nava
, Intercepted off the coast of Israel, two Romanian on board: commander and another officer. The two knew that weapons were aboard.
The information that the arms ship intercepted by Israeli forces is a Romanian commander was confirmed by the representative of Interna-tional Federation of Transport (ITF) in Romania, Adrian Mihalcioiu.
Victoria ship, sailing under the Liberian flag, was owned by a French company and operated by a French company. She fled from Turkey and was heading to Egypt.
Neither master nor crew members on board were unaware that they are weapons, according israeliene.Mihălcioiu army says it has learned from the ITF representative in Israel Romanian two Israeli soldiers were heard, along with other crew members and seven containers arms were confiscated. The ship would be allowed to go to destination after completion of the hearings, which were still pending at the close of the edition. Asked to comment on this information, the Romanian Foreign Ministry offered no response to the closure of the edition.
Israel has announced that Turkey has no connection with weapons, probably from Iran and were destined for the Palestinian organization Hamas in Gaza.
Of the 39 containers shipped, seven were filled with weapons from assault rifles and ammunition for the mortar shells at-sea missiles S-704 type, Chinese manufacturing, which equips the Iranian military that could be used against Israeli ships.
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