Sovereign armed guards are an option that should be made available to owners
INTERTANKO’s Council (the Association’s main governing body) reviewed last month the Association’s ongoing committed work on the fight against Somali piracy.
It was agreed by Council that government/sovereign armed guards are an option that should be made available to owners, and that the Association should provide a letter template for its Members to use to write to their flag state administrations, urging them to undertake the provision of sovereign armed guards, sometimes also known as Vessel Protection Detachments (VPDs), for use by their vessels as registered with those administrations.
Council believes that tanker owners should be in a position to be able to look to their flag state administration for professionally trained government armed guards to provide the sovereign protection that is the right of their vessels and their crews which sail them.
The template letter is in ‘Word’ format for ready use by Members as appropriate, and may be accessed here
Source : INTERTANKO
