Gard Club has recently published an updated Guide on Stowaways to address the issue and inform interested parties of ways to prevent stowaway incidents onboard.
In preparation of the guide, Gard Club reviewed the trends over the last several years. As the report notes, effective prevention and handling of stowaways is a global problem and requires shared responsibility in decision making and commitment by all the involved parties.
Furthermore, the report points out the following measures in order to prevent stowaway incidents and how to handle them safely in case they happen:
In order to prevent stowaway incidents, the shipowner and master should:
• Make sure the ship security assessment considers all possible threats, including unauthorized access or use, such as the presence of stowaways.
• Ensure that sufficient security arrangements are in place to prevent stowaways from getting onboard, or detect them before the ship leaves port, and that these arrangements are adequately detailed in the ship’s formal security plan as required under the ISPS Code.
• Where there is a risk of stowaway embarkation, consider implementing the following security arrangements:
• Locking of all doors, hatches and means of access to holds or stores, which are not used during the ship’s stay in port.
• Keeping the number of access points to the ship to a minimum and ensure they are adequately secured.
• Securing areas seaward of the ship.
• Keeping adequate deck watch.
• Recording all persons boarding and disembarking the ship.
• Maintaining adequate lighting at night, both inside and along the hull.
• Carrying out a thorough search of the ship prior to departure. Focusing on places where stowaways might hide and use methods that are not likely to harm secreted stowaways.
• Not carrying out fumigation or sealing of an area until the search for stowaways has been completed for that area.
• Maintaining adequate means of communication between ship and others, including port facilities.
If stowaways are found onboard, the master should:
• Make every effort to determine the port of embarkation of the stowaways and establish their identity and nationality/citizenship.
• Prepare a statement containing all available information relevant to the stowaway for presentation to the appropriate authorities.
• Notify the existence of a stowaway and any relevant details to the shipowner and appropriate authorities at the port of embarkation, the next port of call and the flag state.
• Treat the matter as confidential as far as necessary for the security of stowaways if refugee status is declared.
• Not depart from the planned voyage to seek the disembarkation of a stowaway discovered on board the ship, unless the permission to do so has been duly granted by the authorities of the country in question, or unless there are extenuating safety, security, health or compassionate reasons.
• Ensure that the stowaway is presented to the appropriate authorities at the next port of call in accordance with their requirements.
• Take appropriate measures to ensure the security, general health, welfare and safety of the stowaway until disembarkation, including providing him or her with adequate provisioning, accommodation, proper medical attention and sanitary facilities.
• Ensure that stowaways are not permitted to work on board the ship, except in emergency situations or in relation to the stowaway’s accommodation and provisioning on board.
• Ensure that stowaways are treated humanely, consistent with the basic principles.
In addition, the shipowner should:
• Ensure that all relevant information on stowaways has been notified to the appropriate authorities.
• Comply with any removal directions made by the relevant authorities at the port of disembarkation.
• Cover any applicable costs relating to the removal, detention, care and disembarkation of stowaways in accordance with the legislation of the countries which may be involved.
