Vessels calling at Turkish ports
The West of England P&I Club has been advised by Kalimbassieris Maritime, Istanbul, of a significantincrease in the number of persons attempting to stowaway on vessels calling at Turkish ports.
Turkey is the natural crossing point into Europe for refugees and economic migrants from Syria, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. However, due to the high level of security at Turkish border points, they often find that a land crossing into Europe is not possible. Therefore they may look for other ways to reach their intended destination.
Due to thesignificant increase in the number of illegal immigrants attempting to cross into Europe, there has been a corresponding rise in stowaway attempts from Turkish ports, including Turkish Nationals. Given that security measures in some Turkish ports and terminals may not be as robust as at land border checkpoints, vessels should be particularly vigilant and ensure that all practicable steps are taken to prevent persons stowing away.
Source: The West of England P&I Club
