The Impact of Piracy on Seafarers
Piracy is a very real issue which remains one of the biggest dangers faced by seafarers to this very day.
Despite the number of piracy cases thankfully dropping in recent years, there has still been an increase in hijacking at sea, kidnapping and violence in what is unquestionably one of the world’s most dangerous occupations.
What Are We Doing About Piracy at Sea?
Here at The Mission to Seafarers, we do our utmost to raise awareness of piracy at sea and maritime violence within the media and across the general public, so that the danger posed by this significant threat receives the attention that it truly deserves.
It is through this awareness that we hope to encourage governments and maritime industry bodies to take appropriate action to put a stop to piracy at sea for good.
We also utilise the donations we receive to fund a programme of work which helps to support seafarers who have already been impacted by piracy. Our port chaplains are all trained in post-traumatic stress care so that they can offer the right kind of support and guidance to seafarers who have experienced the effects of piracy.
In addition to this, The Mission to Seafarers also fully supports the Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme (MPHRP), which was set up to track incidents and help seafarers affected by piracy at sea.
IMB Piracy Programme
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has launched a special division to tackle piracy at sea as well as maritime crime and general malpractice.
Named The Intentional Maritime Bureau (IMB), this division publishes a worldwide report each quarter which highlights all instances of piracy and armed robbery which have been reported to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The overall intention of the IMB Piracy committee is to raise awareness of these issues and fight for action to be taken to reduce instances of this occurring.
You can request a copy of the latest IMB Piracy at Sea report by getting in contact with the division using the following details:
Email: [email protected]
Telephone:++ 60 3 2078 5763
Fax:++ 60 3 2078 5769
Address: ICC International Maritime Bureau (Asia Regional Office)
PO Box 12559
Kuala Lumpur 50782,
Malaysia
Reporting Piracy at Sea
The IMB Piracy division has set up a 24 hour Anti-Piracy helpline which can be reached on:
++ 60 3 2031 0014
Instances of piracy and attacks are also posted online at www.icc-ccs.org. By posting the information online, ship owners and authorities on land, as well as ships at sea, can access these updates and make informed decisions on the risks associated with certain regions.
You can also keep abreast of all the latest incidence of Piracy on Twitter on the handle @IMB_Piracy.
