08/02/2008 21:15 - (SA)
London - The world's biggest seafaring union said on Friday it wanted Nigerian waters declared a war zone after an alarming rise in attacks and kidnappings on merchant shipping by rebels.
The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), which represents 186 maritime unions and some 700 000 seafarers worldwide, said it was pressing shipping associations and major shipping firms to recognise the dangers of operating off Nigeria.
"This is in response to an increasing number of attacks and kidnappings by the Movement of the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND)," ITF spokesperson Sam Dawson said.
Dawson said declaring Nigeria as a war zone would change terms and conditions for seafarers operating there, including paying them higher wages, which he likened to danger money.
Insurers have already raised hull war-risk rates for shippers who operate in the area in the last month, following a spate of attacks onshore and offshore.
source: http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_2267303,00.html
1 comment:
i have one applicant, a 2E, who refused to join his vessel enroute to Nigera, still there are ships trading in that area, is there any sanctions to it? Can we do anything about it, if we are already in the area?
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