Available from March 26
A new standardised contract between shipowners and private maritime security companies will be launched by BIMCO later this month.
The Guardcon hopes to provide clarity on key issues such as therelationship between the master and the security team leader on board.
The drafting sub-committee will meet on March 16 to finalise the draft, and thenan electronic version of the contract will be available on its website from March 26.
The relationship and interactions between the master and the security team has long needed clarifying. In essence the master is in charge throughout. However in the event of a threat of piracy the security team leader will inform the master that they are invoking the rules for the use of force. Each member of the security team then has sole responsibility for any decision taken to use force.
Even then, if the master perceives there to be a risk of safety, he also has the right to order the team to stop shooting.
This should give masters the confidence that they are always in ultimate control, but give the security personnel the latitude to make the very difficult decisions that they have to take during an attack.
Source: Neptune Maritime Security
