ICS says that the principal concern of the shipping industry is humanitarian
To mark the occasion of IMO World Maritime Day and this year’s chosen theme, the piracy crisis in the Indian Ocean, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), which represents 80% of the world merchant fleet, has produced a special brochure.The brochure is intended to reiterate the urgent need for governments to do more to protect merchant shipping from being attacked by Somali pirates, with over 3,000 seafarers having so far been held hostage for ransom, and up to 60 having lost their lives.
The ICS brochure explains that the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations agency responsible for safety of life at sea, has had a pivotal role in orchestrating the response of the international community to the scourge of piracy, which is the theme of IMO World Maritime Day 2011. In co-operation with the shipping industry, IMO has been instrumental in bringing the seriousness of the crisis to the attention of the UN Security Council. However, the piracy crisis in the Indian Ocean has continued to spiral out of control.
ICS expresses appreciation for the efforts of IMO Member States and military navies to protect merchant ships and their crews from Somali pirates, but is deeply concerned that little real progress is being made towards developing any radical new strategy that will deliver immediate results.
It also recognises that the long-term solution will have to be found within Somalia itself, supported by practical measures such as the establishment of a local coast guard. But the industry seems to be faced with the utter frustration of an increasing number of attacks for the foreseeable future.
The international community depends on ships to transport trade and keep the world economy moving, and the eradication of piracy is the responsibility of governments, as stipulated by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. However, in the face of governments’ seeming impotence, says ICS, the shipping industry will be forced to look at all possible options, including alternative routes, which could have a very dramatic effect on transport costs and delivery times.
Piracy is already estimated to cost the global economy US$12 billion a year. If increasing numbers of ships decide to divert around the Cape of Good Hope, this will almost certainly have a major impact on inventories and costs throughout the whole supply chain. It could also greatly damage the economies of Africa and the Middle East at this politically delicate time.
However, ICS says that the principal concern of the shipping industry is humanitarian. It is simply unacceptable that seafarers have been killed, while thousands more have been held captive for months at a time.
You can download the brochure, by clicking here.
Source: ICS