Industry should invest in innovative technologies to minimize similar tragic outcomes
Ian Millen, Chief Operating Officer at Dryad Maritime Intelligence analysed the worrying aspects of the recent tragedy in the port of Tilbury, UK where 35 Afghani Sikhs discovered in a shipping container.
” The really worrying aspect of this latest incident is the potential for this to be the start of a new trend, as organised criminals seek to exploit destination ports less used to the daily ‘cat and mouse’ games played out at the Channel ports, where highly skilled border officials in the UK and France conduct technology-enabled, intelligence-led operations to stem the constant flow of illegal migrants. Targeting new destinations and using new modes of transport, such as shipping containers, could be the criminals’ latest attempt to seize the initiative and combat increasingly efficient border controls and alert truck drivers who are well aware of the significant fines imposed if they unwittingly transport migrants across national borders.”
”The challenge for the maritime industry, ports and border officials is to reduce the probability of these potential tragedies by engaging in increasingly innovative technologies, intelligence-led operations and cooperation across national boundaries to minimise tragic outcomes. Not an easy task, but a very important one.”
Read more at Dryad Maritime website
Also learn further information about the tragedy at the following articles:
The Guardian –Tilbury container death: police launch investigation
The Telegraph – Footage shows moment illegal immigrants were released from Tilbury shipping container
The Guardian – Second man arrested over Tilbury docks container death
