New Concern Expressed by IMO. Unable to understand what's new about this!

IMO expresses concern over mistreatment of seafarers held hostage by pirates

Briefing: Briefing 24/2011, April 18, 2011

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​In the context of the recently-released Indian ship M/V Asphalt Venture, IMO reiterates its condemnation of all acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships and expresses its concern over the treatment of seafarers being held hostage by pirates operating in waters off the coast of Somalia. In particular, it condemns their use as “human shields” on board recently hijacked ships used as “motherships”, or ashore.

The M/V Asphalt Venture was hijacked by Somali pirates on 29 September 2010 and was released on 15 April 2011. However, six officers and one rating had been removed from the ship and, at the time of release, were being held at an undisclosed location ashore, where they remain.

IMO is concerned for the welfare of all innocent seafarers being held in captivity, and is working towards their timely release.

Using seafarers as human shields to continue to engage in piracy - one of the most heinous of crimes against humanity at sea - is totally unacceptable.

The IMO World Maritime Day theme for 2011, “Piracy: orchestrating the response” – and its associated action plan - embrace the concept that the safety and well-being of seafarers should be of paramount importance.

IMO therefore supports the “SOS - Save our Seafarers” campaign (www.saveourseafarers.com) recently launched by the shipping industry.

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IMO – the International Maritime Organization – is the United Nations specialized agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships.

Web site: www.imo.org

For further information please contact:
Lee Adamson, Head, Public Information Services on 020 7587 3153 (media@imo.org )
Natasha Brown, External Relations Officer on 020 7587 3274 (media@imo.org ).

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IMO is supposed to be responsible for Safety & Security. Am surprised why the issue is not raked up in the so called "prestigious" Security Council of the UNO. But then these are Indians. 7 minus a 1.2 Billion will not make a difference to the World.

All Indians should stop transitting the Gulf of Aden now, with or without Armed Guards. Let the World awake to the Menace in the best possible sense. Creating a Public Opinion is easy. Shipment's stop, Freight Rates go sky high, commodities become expensive, insurance becomes expensive and the biggest losers will be the same public. Sooner or later, attention will come.

In my opinion, any Indian who decides to pass the Gulf of Aden, HRA, is responsible for his own actions, and his family should not even speak about it, least when they are captured and held hostage, mistreated or murdered by these Pirates or the armed guards / Navies while being used as Human Shields. Because, like the four Americans shot, everything changes, and most of the Governments including India would not give in, beyond appeals.

NASA, NUSI are sitting duck. They can only shout. Why they cannot veto Indians passing the Gulf of Aden? Why Indian Government cannot bring out a rule that no Indians would transit the Gulf of Aden?

Member States of IMO agreed in 2010 that the unique contribution made by seafarers from all over the world to international seaborne trade, the world economy and civil society as a whole, should be marked annually with a 'Day of the Seafarer'.

A Diplomatic Conference in Manila, the Philippines, which adopted major revisions to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (the STCW Convention), and its associated Code adopted a resolution nominating 25 June of each year hereafter as the 'Day of the Seafarer'.

The date chosen was that on which the STCW revisions were adopted and acknowledges their significance for the maritime community and those who serve it on board ships. The resolution encourages Governments, shipping organizations, companies, shipowners and all other parties concerned to duly and appropriately promote the Day of the Seafarer.

25th June - Seafarer's should start making Noise. I completely agree with the idea proposed by the BIMCO President Mr. Robert Lorenz-Meyer. Make it loudest on the 25th June, not only in ports, but out at sea for minimum 2 minutes. After all the reverse of 2 minutes silence should happen for the mourning of the World's attention.

A highly audible protest from the shipping industry against piracy – with a 30-second blast from ships’ sirens every day at noon, in every port in the world – has been recommended to draw public attention to the criminals who are now menacing world trade, and who are holding nearly 800 seafarers captive.  

Delivering the keynote address at this week’s Singapore conference of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against ships in Asia (ReCAAP), BIMCO President Robert Lorenz-Meyer suggested that such a protest was necessary to remind governments of the urgency of measures to deal with the piracy problem. Attacks  on merchant vessels by Somali pirates, said the BIMCO President are “about to cut the sealanes in and out of the Persian Gulf and attacking a service “on which the world depends for economic stability and growth”.

Horror being Narrated. Must watch for all those who do not agree to my comments! - CHECK OUT THIS LINK ON YouTube.