Stowaways Choose to Hide Between a Rock & a Hard Place
The American P&I Club warns again that stowaways continue to hide in the ship's rudder stock recess. The P&I Club advise its members that stowaways wait in port areas until after dark and then swim to the rudder stock, climbing it and hiding inside the recess. Having gained access to an external area of the vessel, they cannot then be easily found by the ship’s crew. It has been observed that most of these vessels come from Africa in ballast and, for that reason, the rudder stock recess stays above water. However, as the vessel rolls and pitches, the stowaways are exposed to the sea. Members are advised to take all necessary measures as part of the Ship Security Plan (SSP) in accordance with the International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) Code compliance requirements.
Ensuring There are No Hiding Places for Stowaways
The problem of stowaways hiding in a ship’s rudder stock recess, especially at African ports, still persists, the American Club has warned its members. They are urged to take proper precautions to prevent stowaways from boarding and hiding themselves in this manner. The club first alerted its members to this practice in April 2004. The cunning stowaways wait in port areas until after dark and then swim to the rudder stock, climb it and hide inside the recess, making it difficult for the ship’s crew to find them.