Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme News

Seafarers continue to be the targets of pirates and armed robbers, with around 100 held captive ashore by various groups in different parts of the world at the moment. The training of seafarers, best management practice and hardening of ships has formed part of the response, but companies still need to be well prepared for seafarers being attacked or taken captive. The ISWAN Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme has issued an updated "Good Practice Guide for Shipping Companies and Manning Agents - humanitarian support of seafarers and their families in cases of armed robbery and piracy attack." The guide has been updated with the help of the International Chamber of Shipping…

The boards of the International Seafarers Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) and the Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme (MPHRP) are pleased to announce the moving of the activities of the MPHRP into ISWAN. A transfer agreement was signed by both parties on 3 August 2015. ISWAN will now be responsible for all the activities of the highly respected MPHRP. The move to ISWAN will enable the programme to develop under the auspices of a well-established international seafarers’ welfare organisation that is registered as a charity. The programme will continue to support the seafarers and their families who are affected by piracy.

It is only after some time following traumatic events that mental health complications may surface. Assessment immediately after such events would most probably show signs of the common and perfectly normal after effects of extraordinary life events. While research is scant, all indications are that seafarers respond to trauma as we all do. We are usually quite resilient. We recover over time. Only very few of us experience ongoing symptoms and need some form of mental health care. And even then, we are assured by mental health professionals, post trauma stress is treatable. As persistent symptoms are key, the need for intervention would show itself only after four weeks, at the earliest. The Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme offers ongoing support to piracy survivors.

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has joined other maritime organisations in expressing concern over the decision to compensate convicted Somali pirates. These criminals have been responsible for taking hostage thousands of seafarers, who were subjected to unprovoked violence and sometimes torture. Some seafarers have also been murdered while carrying out their lawful business on the high seas. Earlier this month, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ordered France to pay thousands of euros to Somali pirates who had attacked French ships in 2008. The pirates were captured by French military on the Somali coast after they hijacked two French yachts in separate attacks in 2008.

Yesterday, 16th September 2014, Chirag Bahri, MPHRP's Regional Director for South Asia, attended a ceremonial event organised by the Ministry of Shipping, Bangladesh to facilitate financial help to the 7 Bangladeshi crew members of MV Albedo. The event was held at the Ministry of Shipping's office in Secretariat, Dhaka. It was chaired by the Honourable Minister of Shipping, Mr Shahjahan Khan, Mr Shahriar Alam - Honourable Minister of State - Foreign Affairs, Secretary of Shipping, Rear Admiral Khurshed Alam - Secretary of Maritime Affairs - Foreign Affairs, Commodore M Zakiur Rahman Bhuiyan - Director General of Shipping, Chirag Bahri - MPHRP Regional Director South Asia and other distinguished guests from the Department of Shipping…

A two-day Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Awareness Campaign updated the seafarer public in Luneta Park, Manila of MPHRP’s programmes and services led by MPHRP Regional Director for Philippines/Southeast Asia Rancho Villavicencio and MPHRP Assistant Programme Director Hennie la Grange, July 23-24. In partnership with SEACOMS Maritime Development International, Inc., the Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme Philippines held its awareness campaign for the second time in Manila where a seafarer crowd was gathered to be informed of the programme’s existence and how MPHRP assists piracy survivors and their families locally.

Dryad Maritime gives warning of increasing SE Asia piracy. The warning results from the release of their Q2 figures, containing data that shows the area experiences the highest number of maritime crime incidents in 2014 in comparison with other traditional piracy hot spots. The warning comes in the wake of the most recent hijack of a tanker, (MT Moresby 9), off the Anambas Islands on July 4. Pirates boarded the vessel, taking the crew hostage before stealing part of the 2,200-metric-ton cargo of Marine Gas Oil (MGO). The vessel location is still unknown.

The International Transport Federation (ITF) informs that 11 seafarers held hostage by Somali pirates for over three and a half years have finally been released, with the prospect of seeing their families once more after what is described as a 'terrible ordeal'. The seven Bangladeshi, two Sri Lankan, one Indian and one Iranian hostage were among the 23 crew on the Malaysian-owned and flagged containership Albedo when it was hijacked by Somali pirates on 26 November 2010 while 900 nautical miles off Somalia. One Indian seafarer died in captivity, and seven Pakistani crew members were released in July 2012. With the remaining hostages still on board and held captive in Somali waters, the Albedo became increasingly unseaworthy and sank in a heavy storm in July 2013.

The Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme (MPHRP) has welcomed the release and safe return of the remaining crew from the MV Albedo. Commenting on their arrival into Kenya on 7 June 20124MPHRP chair Peter Swift said, “After 1288 days in captivity we are delighted for them and their families after the terrible ordeal and hardship that they have suffered. “The generous support of MPHRP’s partners and friends, together with the extensive groundwork and cooperation of the UNODC and others, helped to facilitate the release of the 7 Bangladeshi, 2 Sri Lankan, 1 Indian and I Iranian crew members after they had been abandoned by the owner and with no direct support forthcoming from other parties.

The “horrors” of piracy have dominated the first year of Meridian Marine Management Managing Director Alastair Evitt’s first year in his role as President of InterManager, the international trade association for the shipmanagement industry. Summing up his first year representing the world’s third-party and in-house ship managers, Mr Evitt told the InterManager Annual General Meeting today (November 15th) that the fight against global piracy is a priority for his presidency and praised the way the shipping industry has united to fight it.