Friday, March 4, 2011

High risk area extended

The Union, which represents more than 23,000 maritime professionals, said talks at the national warlike operations area committee arranged in response to the growing spread of pirate attacks on merchant ships and their crews resulted in a new agreement designed to reflect the increased risks.

It designates the Indian Ocean as a high risk area, in addition to the previous agreement covering the Gulf of Aden.

“This means that seafarers on ships operated by companies covered by the UK Chamber of Shipping will have to right to refuse to serve on ships sailing through these areas if they are not operating in accordance with the internationally-agreed Best Management Practices to deter piracy or are not sailing through the Internationally Recognised Transit Corridor in the Gulf of Aden,” the Union said.

Source: Tradewinds

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