Ambassador Enrique A. Manalo addresses the Ministerial-level meeting on combating piracy at IMO
The Philippine Embassy in London reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that Philippine Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Ambassador Enrique A. Manalo, continued to advocate for better protection of seafarers against pirate attacks off Somalia.
In a Ministerial-level meeting to open the 90th Session of IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee, the Organization’s primary governing body, Ambassador Manalo called on ship owners and the governments whose flag their ships fly to assume the responsibility of ensuring a safe working environment for seafarers, especially when their vessels traverse the dangerous waters off Somalia where pirate attacks have increased in recent years.
Ambassador Manalo said: “The Philippine Government ensures that Filipino seafarers are competent and fully qualified. The duty of the crew is to safely operate the ships which carry 80% of global trade. It is in turn the responsibility of shipping companies and Flag States to protect them from the scourge of piracy as they carry out this duty.”
The Philippine Government continues to advocate for the implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs) codified by the commercial shipping sector as the primary defense against pirate attacks. These practices include the use of razor wires around the vessel to deter pirates from climbing on board, joining convoys travelling under the protection of naval escorts, and the use of citadels or a safe room where crew seek shelter as they await rescue by naval forces currently deployed in the waters off Somalia to protect civilian vessels.
Noting the successful protection of merchant vessels by privately contracted armed guards on board these vessels, the Philippines has participated in international efforts to regulate their deployment in order to weed out incompetent and ill-trained security personnel.
“While the adoption of BMPs is our preference, the use of armed guards complements its implementation thereby providing better protection to the crew,” added Ambassador Manalo.
Ambassador Manalo was supported at this meeting by Minister Francisco Noel Fernandez III, Commodore Rodolfo Isorena of the Philippine Coast Guard and Chief Engineer Miguel Marasigan of the Professional Regulation Commission.
Source: The Philippine Embassy in London, United Kingdom
