The new edition of Stable Seas Maritime Security Index is released, attempting to measure and map good maritime governance around sub-Saharan Africa. This edition covers 30 exclusive economic zones around sub-Saharan Africa from the mid-Atlantic to the Gulf of Aden.
The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside welcomed member states of the International Labour Organisation, Shipowners and representatives of seafarers, acknowledging the importance of seafarers’ welfare in the MLC 2006 amendments.
According to the annual State of Piracy report released by Oceans Beyond Piracy, the number of piracy incidents doubled off the coast of East Africa in 2017 compared to 2016. Piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea continue at persistently high levels. In 2017, 1726 seafarers were affected in a total of 97 incidents.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre, jointly launched the Capacity Building Executive Programme 2018 in Tokyo, Japan. The Programme aims to improve skills of maritime regulatory & enforcement authorities in fight against piracy and sea robbery in Asia.
Charlie Stickland, the Operational Commander Major General of EU NAVFOR, met with Mr. Kitack Lim, Secretary-General of the IMO, on 11 May at IMO Headquarters in London. At the meeting, general Stickland updated the IMO Secretary-General on EU NAVFOR’s counter-piracy Operation Atalanta.
ReCAAP ISC released its monthly report for piracy and armed robberies against ships in Asia. ReCAAP ISC reported a total of three incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were reported in Asia in April 2018. The severity of the incidents was less in April 2017 and April 2018 compared to the same period of 2009-2016.
The amendment will be submitted to the next ILO session for adoption. When it enters into force, it foresees that the seafarers’ wages and other contractual entitlements will continue to be paid during the entire period of captivity. This will provide the families with the necessary means of survival.
ReCAAP ISC and the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies organised a Maritime Roundtable, regarding piracy and robbery at sea. The roundtable was held in conjunction with the Singapore Maritime Week 2018. The topic of discussion was “Is a Single Reporting Centre the Answer to Timely Reporting, and Prompt Response against Piracy and Sea Robbery?”
After a recent piracy attack on the Ghanaian fishing vessel, “Marine 711”, and the kidnapping of five sailors who were onboard the vessel, the Deputy Minister for Transport, Daniel Titus-Glover, has called port officials to make security at Ghana’s ports more strict, in order to prevent similar incidents in the future.
ReCAAP ISC reported that a total 14 incidents, including nine actual incidents and five attempted incidents, were reported in Asia during January-March 2018 compared to 27 incidents that were reported during the same period in 2017. The 14 incidents reported during January and March 2018 are a 48% decrease compared to January-March 2017.
