Tag: SaveOurSeafarers

SOS campaign aims to raise public awareness on the deleterious effects of piracy Seafarers' organisations, shipping companies together with business leaders and the biggest ever grouping of shipping industry associations, which have joined forces to campaign against Somali piracy, have received a welcome boost from the British and Philippine Governments confirming their support for the global SOS SaveOurSeafarers campaign.In the Philippines, the Filipino Labour and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz said in a public statement that the world's number one source of world-class seafarers is morally bound to support global action to ensure the welfare and protection of seafarers. Baldoz lauded the SOS SaveOurSeafarers campaign for its "unrelenting" efforts to raise public awareness on the deleterious effects of piracy, particularly in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean."We are always mindful of the policy of the administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III for enhanced overseas foreign workers protection," she said. Foremost of this is to push for global call to stamp out piracy in the high seas, which is now affecting global maritime commerce," she added.Source: Seatrade Asia

67,000 visitors from 177 countries worldwide As the industry SOS SaveOurSeafarers campaign hits six months, 21,000 letters have now been sent to heads of government, with visitors to the website now topping 67,000 from 177 countries worldwide.Twitter followers are up to nearly 750 while Facebook followers are now over 4,100 - both very viable on-line communities encouraging plenty of conversation and feedbackThe campaign is preparing to reach out directly to heads of industry as well as to specific governments, to encourage direct discussion about the problem that will not go away - numbers of ships and hostages have fallen during the monsoon season, but the recent hijacking of the Fairchem Bogey while in or off the Omani port of Salalah shows a new determination by the Somali pirates to take their tactics to another extreme as the post-monsoon piracy 'season' commences - the vessel has 21 Indian seafarers on board.Source : SOS Campaign

SOS Save Our Seafarers campaign The anti-piracy SOS Save Our Seafarers campaign website, launched only just under six months ago, has already generated 20,000 letters from individuals across the world to their heads of governments calling for action to tackle piracy.Supporters from 73 countries have sent letters to their heads of state - with Philippines and India currently heading the list of countries sending the most letters.The campaign reports that its site has had over 65,000 visitors from 175 countries since its launch in March. It also has 3,748 followers on its Facebook page and 657 followers on Twitter.Visit the SOS Save Our Seafarers campaign website: www.saveourseafarers.comSource: ITF

In the coming weeks SOS activity will focus on many issues The SOS SaveOurSeafarers campaign has been gathering pace. Letters to governments are now up to 17,800, with website visits now standing at 59,660 from 174 countries. Twitter followers have now reached 633, while Facebook followers total 3,630.SOS is getting an average of six requests a week for pop-up banner artwork. This is great news and shows real support and engagement.In the coming weeks, SOS activity will focus on the following:Press release re specific UK and Filipino government support for SOS.Letter to heads of corporations about the threat to their business from Somali piracy, and press release about this letter. A short (4-5 minutes) viral film on Somali piracy and the SOS campaign is planned for release via the internet and the social media later this summer.SOS campaign cards to be designed and then printed in high volume for everyone involved with the campaign to hand out.SOS Website is coming up for an overhaul with a harder home page, more focus on human impact, and more images.Website translation into a few key languages is being evaluated on the basis that this will make a huge impact on media pick-up around ...

It is time to take effective action and eradicate piracy Asian ship owners have expressed their impatience, anger and frustration at the ever-increasing number of attacks on ships and seafarers by Somali pirates.Somali Piracy and ship hijackings have become rampant since the collapse of Somalias central government more than 20 years ago. It is now time to take effective action and eradicate piracy declared Mr Johnson W. Sutjipto, Chairman of the 20th Asian Shipowners Forum (ASF), held in Bali, Indonesia this week.The forum expressed grave concern that the waters off the coast of Somalia have grown increasingly treacherous as hijackings, kidnappings and extortion have proliferated over the past several years, forcing some shipowners to employ armed guards to ensure the safety of their ships and crews. It is essential, however, added Robert A Ho, the Acting Chairman of the Ship Insurance and Liability Committee, that the various liabilities, potentially incurred through the carriage of private armed guards on a ship in an attempt to protect its seafarers, are defined. These liabilities should not fall on the master of the ship or the owner, who may have no other option but to consider the employment of armed guards because governments are ...

The campaign has six key priorities Several leading shipping industry organisations, including the International Group of P&I Clubs, are supporting the Save our Seafarers campaign which urges governments to take a tougher stance against piracy in the Gulf of Aden, Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean.The campaign has six key priorities:Reducing the effectiveness of the easily identifiable mother shipsAuthorising naval forces to hold pirates and deliver them for prosecution and punishmentFully criminalising all acts of piracy and intent to commit piracy under national laws, in accordance with their mandatory duty to co-operate to suppress piracy under international conventionsIncreasing naval assets available in the affected areasProviding greater protection and support for seafarersTracing and criminalising the organisers and financiers behind the criminal networksOperators and Industry staff are encouraged to visit the Save our Seafarers website and express their support by using the facility for interested parties to send a letter to their governments regarding the need for action.Source: Save Our Seafarers

Action to protect seafarers from piracy and to stop the pirates The Save Our Seafarers Campaign has so far generated 9,967 responses from around the world calling on governments to take action to protect seafarers from piracy and to stop the pirates.Responses from India currently lead the way, in the wake of the continued captivity of seven Indian seafarers from the Asphalt Venture following a ransom payment to Somali pirates.Supporters from the UK, USA, Denmark and Philippines have also sent strong responses to their governments calling for action.Source: Save Our Seafarers

The campaign has six key priorities Several leading shipping industry organisations, including the International Group of P&I Clubs, are supporting the Save our Seafarers campaign which urges governments to take a tougher stance against piracy in the Gulf of Aden, Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean.The campaign has six key priorities:Reducing the effectiveness of the easily identifiable mother shipsAuthorising naval forces to hold pirates and deliver them for prosecution and punishmentFully criminalising all acts of piracy and intent to commit piracy under national laws, in accordance with their mandatory duty to co-operate to suppress piracy under international conventionsIncreasing naval assets available in the affected areasProviding greater protection and support for seafarersTracing and criminalising the organisers and financiers behind the criminal networksOperators and Industry staff are encouraged to visit the Save our Seafarers website and express their support by using the facility for interested parties to send a letter to their governments regarding the need for action.