The Kenyan made his first call in 14 months to his wife from a local trade union office at Lauries Road in Bambalapitiya on Wednesday afternoon. Kyalo Ndola 43, father of six and a resident of Mombaza in Kenya, was among the 27 foreign fishermen who docked at Colombo harbour during the early hours on Wednesday this week, after eight months as captives of Somali pirates.

Tired, helpless and close to starvation, the group comprising Chinese, Indonesians, Kenyans, Vietnamese and Filipinos arrived in Colombo, eight days after they were released from the pirate stronghold of Garad on the Somali coast, and immediately begged for food, clean water and medical attention.

Kenyan Mitan Makau recalling their ordeal	Kyalo Ndola makes his first call home after 14 months.

The Taiwan registered fishing trawler Yuh Far 227 and its crew sailed out of a Singapore fishing harbour in early October 2009 and steamed towards the Indian ocean. The craft was a long-stay boat meant for professional fishing in the deep seas. All the men on board were hardened fishermen.

“We had been at sea for eight months since we left Singapore, casting our nets in different locations in the Indian Ocean. A Japanese collection vessel would visit us every month and take over our catch, which they would store in large freezers in the lower deck,” said fellow Kenyan Mitan Makau who hails from Nairobi.

“It was around 5.30 p.m. when we spotted a dinghy approaching the fishing vessel at high speed. It was packed with men armed to the teeth. Their weapons included AK 47 assault rifles, mortars, bazookas and hand grenades strung around their necks.”

“At first we did not panic. We thought it was a naval patrol from either India or Sri Lanka. But as the craft neared our vessel, it was evidently clear who these people were. “We had heard of sea pirates known to infest these waters, hunting for large commercial vessels to hijack for ransom in millions of dollars for their release. Since our vessel was a fishing trawler, the pirate scare never bothered us, until that day on May 7, 2010,” Makau added.

“They boarded the vessel with ease and herded all of us onto the deck at gunpoint. We were rudely informed that it was a hijacking and the captain was ordered to weigh anchor and sail towards the Somali coast. Eight days and 1,300 miles later, we reached the pirate stronghold of Garad. “We were soon to learn that the pirates had no interest in any ransom, since it was a fishing craft of little or no value. But the pirates had another devious plan.

“During our entire duration in captivity, they used our fishing craft as a vessel in distress to lure and successfully hijack six vessels close to Sri Lankan waters. “The pirates used a simple modus operandi. They hid their dinghy on our boat, and ordered us to send out distress signals to other vessels in the area. Unaware of the lurking danger, a ship would respond to our call, only to have the armed pirates board the vessel and take it under their command at gunpoint.

“This exercise went on for eight long months, until the pirates decided to free us along with our trawler, and we headed for the nearest port that is Colombo. “However, before letting us go, they stripped us of all our valuables, from wrist watches to rings and cell phones, even our clothes. Here we are in a strange city, totally broke and helpless,” Makau lamented.

Stepping in to give a helping hand was the National Union of Seafarers, Sri Lanka (NUSS) an international grouping that acts as a watchdog of the interests of seaman worldwide. NUSS Secretary Palitha Athukorale said that they had already traced the local agent of the Taiwan fishing company and the response has been encouraging.

The agent had already made arrangements to provide the crew with food, medicines and other basic requirements until the crew receives their wages from Taipei. Local agent Shiran Fernando said that the vessel will remain at the Colombo Port for at least another two months, since there are several formalities to be completed.

He said he was in touch with the head office in Taipei with regard to the crew’s wages and other related matters such as their air tickets, etc. He said that initially, the crew would receive a part payment prior to leaving to their respective countries, with the balance to be collected from the local agent in their respective countries.

He also said that there was concern for their health, with most of them suffering from mental fatigue, so much so that, a Kenyan is presently receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo for loss of memory.

He cannot even recognize or remember the names of his mates, but latest reports say that he his recovering, Mr. Fernando further added.In addition, the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) is also working on the matter.Local ITF representative Ranjan Perera said that he had already got in touch with his London office, which would be dealing directly with the owner of the fishing vessel.

According to Mr Perera, the fishing vessel will not be allowed to leave Colombo until the entire crew is in receipt of their total dues including compensation under international maritime laws.

Coastguard chief calls for foreign assistance to tackle pirates

Somali and other foreign pirates are riding the waves within Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that extends to some 2,000 miles, and moves are underway to seek international assistance in putting down the scourge, Coastguard Chief, Rear Admiral Daya Dharmapriya told the Sunday Times yesterday.

“This is an international scam that begins with the pirates who are backed by several stakeholders including various groups individuals, and in some instances even governments-- the list could be very long,” he said..

“This is an issue that we cannot tackle alone. We will need foreign assistance,” Mr. Dharmapriya stressed. He said that the pirates were also known to, at times, come close to the 12-mile territorial waters of the country.

FROM ST CATHARINES STANDARD (CANADA):

***U.N. maritime body launches anti-piracy drive

By ADRIAN CROFT AND JONATHAN SAUL, REUTERS

LONDON -- The U.N.'s maritime agency called for a new drive against piracy on Thursday as officials and shipowners voiced fears that the growing scourge of Somali pirates was outpacing international efforts to deal with them.

The International Maritime Organization's (IMO) action plan, which calls for closer international coordination of military and civilian efforts against piracy, comes at a time of growing concern over the expanding reach, ambition and firepower of Somali-based pirates.

"Piracy seems to be outpacing the efforts of the international community to stem it," United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told delegates at the launch of the plan at the London headquarters of the IMO.

Ransom payments of hundreds of millions of dollars had created a "pirate economy " in some areas of Somalia and insurance premiums were on the rise, Ban said.

"The threat to international trade

ft

routes is clear," he said, calling for action to support alternative jobs to piracy for Somalis, including rehabilitating coastal fisheries.

The IMO's plan called for efforts to build up the capacity of states in pirate-infested regions to bring pirates to justice, but is short on specifics.

Speakers at the launch reflected frustration in the shipping community at the growing threat the pirates pose to key shipping lanes and vital oil supply arteries in the Indian Ocean despite the deployment of international naval ships there.

"The situation has worsened during the past years with fiercer and increasing attacks on ships. The increased use of so-called 'mother' ships has enabled the pirates to operate at a vastly greater range," said Robert Lorenz-Meyer, president of BIMCO, the world's largest private shipowners' association.

"Today there are more than 700 seafarers held hostage for ransom on 32 ships ... This does not speak well for the effectiveness of the measures taken by the international community," he said.

Separately, the owners of the "Beluga Nomination ", a cargo ship hijacked by Somali pirates on Jan. 22, said this week Somali pirates had shot dead a crew member.

Lorenz-Meyer appealed to the U.N. Security Council to increase the naval presence in the Indian Ocean and to make it easier to prosecute detained pirates.

"Without robust and effective counter-measures, piracy will ... make the use of this important sea lane an unacceptable risk to ship owners," he said.

David Cockroft, general secretary of the International Transport Workers' Federation, a union grouping representing seafarers, said many crew members were at the breaking point because of the stress of passing through the area frequented by pirates.

"If the risks cannot be eliminated, then seafarers will demand not to sail into the area at all and responsible ship owners will support them," he said.

There would never be enough navy ships to counter the pirates in the vast ocean, he said, calling for "robust political and military intervention " onshore in Somalia, led by the key states in the region.

FROM THE IMO, ALSO STATES NEWS SERVICE:

States News Service

The following information was released by the International Maritime Organization:

The escalating problem of piracy off the coast of Somalia is "completely unacceptable" and requires an urgent and coordinated response, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said at the launch (on 3 February 2011) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s action plan to promote the 2011 IMO World Maritime Day theme: "Piracy: orchestrating the response"

Speaking at IMO's London Headquarters, Mr Ban welcomed the decision of IMO to pay special attention to piracy during the year ahead. "This is a timely and important initiative," he said.

IMO has been combating maritime piracy for some time and a series of measures, developed with the co-operation of the littoral States and the support of the industry, helped significantly reduce piracy in the hot spots of the late 1990s and the early 2000s: the South China Sea and the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.

However, the problem has lately manifested itself in other parts of the world, most notably - but not exclusively - off the coast of Somalia, in the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean.

IMO Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos said "piracy and kidnapping have blighted the maritime community for too long and it is seafarers who bear the brunt." He added, "we believe that we can use the experience gained and the successes achieved in reducing piracy elsewhere to good effect in the current arena as well, but to do so requires a well orchestrated response."

Mr. Mitropoulos and Mr. Ban were joined at the launch by Ms Josette Sheeran, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP); Mr. Yury Fedotov, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); Mr. Robert Lorenz-Meyer, President of BIMCO, representing the shipping industry; and Mr. David Cockroft, General Secretary of the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), representing seafarers.

All echoed their support for this latest IMO initiative. Mr Fedotov said, "It is clear that the only viable long-term solution to the Somali piracy problem is to restore law and order in Somalia, including in its waters. It is also clear that this solution is some years off and will require concerted and coordinated international effort. UNODC's counter-piracy programme focuses on supporting regional prosecutions and on rebuilding Somalia's criminal justice capacity."

Ms Sheeran focussed on the humanitarian aspect of the problem. Acknowledging the success of naval escorts in protecting food aid for Somalia, she also highlighted new challenges created by the worsening situation. "The presence of Somali pirates in an ever expanding area is of great concern because they threaten not just food bound for directly for Somalia, but our food transiting through the ports of Mombasa (Kenya), Dar es Salam (Tanzania) and Beira (Mozambique) for vital operations in Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other places with great humanitarian needs."

Speakers at the launch of IMO's action plan also spoke of the economic cost of piracy. Mr. Ban said, "ransom payments adding up to hundreds of millions of dollars have created a 'pirate economy' in some areas of Somalia that make them more resistant to efforts to develop alternative livelihoods. Economies throughout East Africa and beyond are experiencing the fallout."

Representing the shipping industry, Mr. Robert Lorenz-Meyer, President of the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) said, "The attacks are not only attacks on ships, but also attacks on the global supply chain in one of the world's most vital sea lanes. They threaten a supply line of vital interests to the international community."

Mr. David Cockroft, General-Secretary of the International Transport Workers' Federation, representing seafarers, said many crew members were at breaking point because of the stress of passing through the area frequented by pirates. "If the risks cannot be eliminated, then seafarers will demand not to sail into the area at all and responsible ship owners will support them," he said.

Secretary-General Mitropoulos said IMO's action plan aimed to make some genuine inroads into what, to date, has been an escalating problem.

"In the past 12 months alone", he said, "there have been 286 piracy-related incidents off the coast of Somalia. They have resulted in 67 hijacked ships, with 1130 seafarers on board - whilst, at present, 714 seafarers are being held for ransom on board 30 ships scattered at various points of the country's extensive coastline."

IMO's action plan for 2011 has six prime objectives:

- increase pressure at the political level to secure the release of all hostages being held by pirates;

- review and improve the IMO guidelines to Administrations and seafarers and promote compliance with industry best management practice and the recommended preventive, evasive and defensive measures ships should follow;

- promote greater levels of support from, and coordination with, navies;

- promote anti-piracy coordination and co-operation procedures between and among States, regions, organizations and industry;

- assist states to build capacity in piracy-infested regions of the world, and elsewhere, to deter, interdict and bring to justice those who commit acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships; and

- provide care for those attacked or hijacked by pirates and for their families.

Among other things, during 2011, IMO will focus on promoting further co-operation between and among States, regions and organizations in reducing the risk of attacks on ships through a variety of mechanisms including information-sharing; coordination of military and civil efforts; and development and implementation of regional initiatives, such as the IMO-led Djibouti Code of Conduct.

IMO's action plan will build on efforts to tackle the problem that have been underway for some time. Through the Djibouti Code of Conduct, for example, information-sharing centres are being established in Yemen, Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania, as well as a regional training centre in Djibouti. In partnership with the UNODC, IMO is helping to develop the legal framework necessary to prosecute pirates.

Mr Ban took the opportunity to emphasize where the real source of the piracy problem lies. "Although piracy manifests itself at sea," he said "the roots of the problem are to be found ashore. This is a complex issue. But in essence, piracy is a criminal offence that is driven by economic hardship, and that flourishes in the absence of effective law enforcement."

"The only truly successful way to address the problem in the long term," said Mr Ban, "is through a strategy that focuses on deterrence, security, the rule of law and development. Our common goal must be a sustainable solution."

In conclusion, Mr. Mitropoulos said: "This year, we are resolved to redouble our efforts and, in so doing, generate a broader, global response to modern-day piracy. More needs to be done if the ultimate goal of consigning piracy to the realms of history is to be achieved. We hope that our choice of theme for 2011 will provide an appropriate rallying point around which all those who can make a difference can focus their efforts."

__

The full text of all speeches can be downloaded here:

http://www.imo.org/About/Events/WorldMaritimeDay/Documents/WMD%20theme%20launch%203%20Feb%202011%20all%20speeches.pdf [http://www.imo.org/About/Events/WorldMaritimeDay/Documents/WMD%20theme%20launch%203%20Feb%202011%20all%20speeches.pdf]

A detailed briefing on IMO's 2011 action plan is available here:

http://www.imo.org/About/Events/WorldMaritimeDay/Documents/2011%20WMD%20theme%20Action%20Plan%20handout.doc [http://www.imo.org/About/Events/WorldMaritimeDay/Documents/2011%20WMD%20theme%20Action%20Plan%20handout.doc]

__

IMO - the International Maritime Organization - is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships.

Web site: www.imo.org [http://www.imo.org]

Document SNS0000020110204e724001ju

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH (AUSTRALIA):

The new "intelligence led, risk-based" method replaced the previous mass screening and resulted in 35,000 fewer shipping containers being X-rayed or examined last year.

The latest Australian Customs annual report shows that in 2009/10, 1139.83kg of drugs were seized from sea cargo and mail - compared to 5275.14kg in 2008/09 and 2303.08kg in 2007/08.

Figures show that of the 2.813 million shipping containers arriving at Australian ports in 2009/10, just 101,822 or 3.61 per cent were X-rayed or examined - a reduction of approximately 35,000 searches a year compared with the three previous years.

Cocaine seizures fell from 482.11kg in 2008/09 to 350.53kg in 2009/10 and amphetamine-type stimulants dropped from 334.34kg to 54.14kg.

But  senior Customs source told The Sunday Telegraph the new search method was flawed and more drugs were making it through to Australian streets.

"There's not less drugs getting into the country, all the health services will tell you that," the source said.

"If you have less people searching for drugs, more gets in - you can't replace actual searches with computers."

The source said since 2006 Customs had used a computer system to assess risk, which was "an absolute failure".

A Customs spokeswoman said "100 per cent of high-risk consignments" were examined "including those showing anomalies during inspection".

Dean Summers, from the International Transport Workers' Federation, said searching every container was an impossible task but there were "a lot of gaps" in the current measures.

Dr Charlotte Epstein, an expert in risk-based border-protection measures, said the Australian Government was too reliant on technology.

FROM LLOYD'S LIST:

Shipowners ready to pull plug on Indian Ocean routes

Gavin van Marle and Richard Meade - Monday 7 February 2011

THE shipping industry has issued its clearest indication yet that it will collectively re-route vessels around the Indian Ocean causing potential disruption to oil supplies if governments cannot offer better protection from piracy.

Torben Skaanild, secretary-general of BIMCO, the world’s largest private shipping organisation, told Lloyd’s List that piracy off Somalia had now spiralled out of control and that following the reported execution of a seafarer on board the Beluga Nomination last month, the Round Table of leading shipping organisations is prepared to consider drastic actions.

“This is an unacceptable situation for the shipping industry, it is out of hand and we have entered into a new scenario,” Mr Skaanild said.

“Unless governments are handling this for us this means potentially boycotting the entire area, which will have a great impact on the supply chain, and affect availability of oil. It is simply unacceptable and it has escalated to a new level with the execution and torture of seafarers.”

While some shipowners are known to have already re-routed vessels as a reaction to the escalating piracy situation off Somalia, the decision has so far been largely an ad hoc one based more on pragmatic operational factors and economic conditions. An industry-backed boycott of the region, however, could have an enormous impact on world trade if it gained traction among BIMCO’s 2,720 members worldwide.

Mr Skaanild’s reaction to the events on board Beluga Nomination came only a day after UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon called for tougher international action against piracy. However, it also came as new light was being shed on the inability of governments to deal with either the symptoms or causes of Somali piracy after leaked US diplomatic cables showed Japanese concern over gaps in security.

In a cable sent by the US’ embassy in Tokyo, recording details of a June 2009 meeting held between Japanese and US government and naval officials, the Japanese delegation noted that “the damage caused by pirates is becoming increasingly serious” and warned that Japan was becoming less able to cope with increasing the security needs of merchant shipping transiting the region.

“Only two [Japanese] escort ships are in operation. There are a significant number of cases in which their operating schedule does not match the cargoships’ schedules.

“There are growing concerns that if the coverage of escorting is expanded, cases could occur in which Japanese ships are not covered,” it said.

That is exactly what happened a year and a half later, when the 20,000 dwt bulk carrier Izumi was hijacked en route from Singapore to Kenya, around 170 miles south of Mogadishu on October 10 last year, with a crew of 20 Filipinos.

The 2007-built vessel, although flagged in Panama, has Tokyo-based Fair Field Shipping listed as its beneficial owner . To add insult to injury, Somali pirates are employing the ship as a mother vessel from which to launch further attacks further out at sea.

The cable also noted that in response to the spread of Somali piracy and decrease in security, many shipowners had taken to hiring security guards while their vessels were in the region, with a particular preference for British ex-servicemen because they believed their presence on a vessel meant it would be more likely to be rescued by naval forces.

“Some shipping companies use services offered by a British crisis consultant firm. These services dispatch former Special Air Service members of the British Army to cargoships only when they cruise off Somalia. Customers expect that since they would also become hostages if the ship were captured, the British Navy would rescue the ship,” the cable said.

Growing Somali pirate mothership fleet revealed

Richard Meade and Gavin van Marle - Monday 7 February 2011

PIRATES are using skeleton crews of hostages to operate an increasingly large and sophisticated fleet of hijacked motherships as a means to further expand their range of operations and deter naval rescue attempts, write Richard Meade and Gavin van Marle .

The fleet totals around 20 vessels and is continually expanding. Pirates are operating the fleet in the full knowledge of patrolling anti-piracy naval forces, which routinely track the vessels but are prevented from mounting rescue attempts due to strict rules of engagement.

The use of crew as a human shield on these motherships has frustrated naval forces for some time. However, without a clear mandate to engage in potentially bloody hostage rescue operations, their hands are tied.

The full details of the pirate fleet, published here for the first time, are well known and routinely tracked by naval intelligence. As the list makes clear, pirates have rapidly scaled up their mothership operations and are now able to operate sizable vessels with the help of hostage crew.

Nato and EU Navfor officers have also said that some larger dhows are being used as motherships, but they have less information on these.

Vessels used as Motherships

Motherships

Motherships

Motherships

Motherships

Horizon Lines closer to seafarer wage pact

Rajesh Joshi - Monday 7 February 2011

HORIZON Lines ’ effort to reach a comprehensive wage renegotiation with its entire seagoing staff of about 450 mariners has made progress, after unions representing deck officers and engineers on the Jones Act containership company’s fleet showed a willingness to consider pay cuts, writes Rajesh Joshi in New York.

Sources close to the company and the unions stressed that this was not yet a done deal. Talks are continuing.

The International Organisation of Masters, Mates & Pilots and the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association are understood to have written to their members employed by Horizon that a pay cut might be unavoidable in the interests of preserving their jobs.

According to Horizon Lines’ 2009 annual report, MM&P and MEBA represent 68 and 109 Horizon mariners respectively, with contracts that runto June 2012.

The two unions’ flexibility on wages comes about six months after the Seafarers International Union, which represents ratings and had 276 Horizon employees in its membership as per the annual report, agreed a 4% wage cut on a contract that runs to June 2011.

The company had announced at the end of 2009 that four of its top executives had given up perquisites as of 2010, including their country club memberships and automobile allowances.

Horizon Lines had debt of some $540m in September last year, and had flagged up a refinancing as a top priority for the first or second quarter of 2011. In addition to a bad market, the company’s bottom line has been affected by legal expenses connected with an ongoing US antitrust probe involving Horizon and its compatriot Jones Lines trade rivals.

FROM TRADEWINDS TODAY:

Livanos VLCC escapes

An attack on a Livanos-owned VLCC at the weekend led to a gun battle between pirates and the Indian Navy which saw a hijacked motership freed and 28 arrested.

A Hong Kong-owned vessel was also falsely reported as seized in what turned out to be a low level incident in the Red Sea.

The Greek-owned 301,800-dwt Chios (built 1993) was set upon by pirates a huge 1,200 miles east of Somalia on Saturday. The tanker, which is beneficially owned by Livanos Group and operated by related company Sun Enterprises, implemented best management practice by increasing speed and taking evasive manoeuvres to avoid hijacking.

The Greece-flagged ship’s distress signal was picked up by the Indian Navy which tracked down the two pirates skiffs to the hijacked Thai fishing vessel Prantalay 11. Shots were fired from pirates onboard the trawler which was taken along with two sister vessels in April and has been used as a mothership.

The Indian Navy returned fire and very quickly a white flag was literally raised by the pirates on the fishing vessel to indicate surrender. Twenty eight pirates were arrested and 24 crew members freed in the incident which occurred about 100 miles west of the Indian Lakshadweep Islands archipelago.

This is the second time in a week the Indian Navy has attacked pirates on a mothership. Earlier it fired on and sank the Prantalay 14 throwing all onboard into the water. Ten pirates were killed, 15 arrested and all 20 crew members rescued, the Navy claimed.

Reports in Yemen and China claimed Fenwick Shipping’s 18,500-dwt Tien Hau (built 1996) had been hijacked in the southern Red Sea on Friday. This transpired to be false with a knowledgeable source questioning if the Hong Kong-flagged ship had even been attacked.

There are 22 crew onboard the general cargoship which is en route from Italy to Australia and has continued its journey through the Gulf of Aden.

The same ship was attacked by pirates in the Indian Ocean in early January with crew thwarting the pirates’ hijacking bid by hurling empty oil drums overboard.

FROM FAIRPLAY DAILY NEWS:

Rescue death toll rises

GERMAN project and breakbulk carrier Beluga Shipping has raised to three the number of crew deaths from the recent attempted rescue of hijacked multipurpose vessel Beluga Nomination.

The company says a crewman originally believed to have jumped overboard is now likely to have been shot dead by Somali pirates.

A second crewman was also killed by the pirates and the ship’s chief engineer apparently drowned after jumping into the sea during the incident.

The remaining crew, including the captain, remain hostages on the Beluga Nomination, anchored off the Somali coast.

The facts surrounding the rescue are disputed; Beluga chief executive Niels Stolberg, in a newspaper interview, blamed the violent escalation on intervention by a Seychelles coast guard vessel and a Danish frigate.

Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung quoted him saying it was “primarily the [Seychelles] patrol boat that suddenly starting firing at our vessel.”

However, NATO Operation Ocean Shield said on 28 January that the Danish frigate HDMS Esbern Snare stayed at a distance to ease tension aboard the Beluga Nomination, as requested by its master. It also said the Beluga crew attempted to overwhelm the pirates.

The Seychelles coast guard has yet to respond to Fairplay’s request to comment on the alleged exchange of fire. German detectives have reportedly opened an investigation.

SNCM ferry strike enters second week

FRENCH ferry operator SNCM told Fairplay today that its seafarers have begun their second week of strikes over plans to reduce sailings between Corsica and Nice.

All the company’s vessels are still strikebound, forcing it to cancel all sailings to Corsica and North Africa, a company spokesman said.

He added that talks were taking place with the CGT seafarers’ union, but was unable to say when normal activity would be resumed.

The workers’ action follows the company’s decision to reduce the number of sailings from Nice during the coming summer season.

SNCM said the decision has been forced on it by the Nice city authorities, who have imposed restrictions on ferry movements in an attempt to reduce city centre traffic congestion. The company added that it had compensated for the reduced number of sailings from Nice by increasing the number of sailings from Marseilles.

However, the union said the cuts were part of an attempt by the company to reduce its fleet costs by dropping the fast ferry service it previously ran from Nice.