Piracy – Tanker Owners to Expore 'War Zone' Option

INTERTANKO to discuss with insurers & charterers reclassification of Somali waters as a 'War Zone' instead of 'War Risk Zone' in order to avoid transits

The controversial move was agreed at last week’s INTERTANKO Council meeting in Singapore and negotiating an acceptable outcome could be one of the first tasks to be undertaken by the association’s newly voted-in Managing Director Katharina Stanzel when she takes over as head of the secretariat on July 1st.

Joe Angelo, INTERTANKO’s outgoing Managing Director, said “We will look into the issue of making the area a war zone. By making it a war zone, it gives the owner the option of whether he wants to go through the zone or not. If it is a war risk area they have to go through it and deal with the issues associated with that. There is a big difference.”  According to Sean Moloney of SMI.

Mr Angelo, who will return to his previous position of Deputy Managing Director and Director for Regulatory Affairs and the Americas, said reclassification of the pirate attack waters would enable owners to better protect their crew. “But there will be a clear understanding between the owner and the charterer on what is happening. It was proposed at our Council meeting and we have to decide how best to approach this. We will start by talking to the insurance market.”