shippingposition
  • Home
  • News
  • Editorial
    • Vox Pop
  • Maritime safety
  • Oil and Gas
  • Personality
  • Health
No Result
View All Result
shippingposition

Home » BIMCO Call For Ships To Sound Sirens Every Day At 12 Noon In Protest Over Piracy

BIMCO Call For Ships To Sound Sirens Every Day At 12 Noon In Protest Over Piracy

by Joshua
April 24, 2011
in Uncategorized

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.

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”.
Lorenz-Meyer praised the work of the multi-national naval force protecting merchant shipping in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, in particular noting the “brilliant examples” set by some of the Asian warships in successfully confronting the pirates’ use of captured vessels as “motherships”. He contrasted the work done by some of the states involved in the action against pirates and their robust work to free ships and captive seafarers with the “kid gloves” worn by others in dealing with the menace.
BIMCO, which had been involved with the problems of modern piracy since it emerged as a problem in the 1990s, has maintained that unless there are serious consequences for the criminals, they will continue to attack merchant shipping. The President pointed out that not all states have ratified UNCLOS or the SUA conventions, while some states which have ratified these international documents do not yet have national legislation in place enabling their enforcement agencies to arrest and prosecute pirates. He welcomed the harsh sentences of 20 or 30 years being meted out in the courts of Kenya and the Seychelles for those convicted.
Governments of the world, said Mr Lorenz-Meyer, “must get their act together” on piracy and establish a comprehensive strategy to deal with the problem. Such action “must aim to reverse the malicious will of the pirates, rather than pretend to reduce their capability”.
It must, he said, fundamentally change the risk/reward ratio currently in favour of the pirates and offer them alternative livelihoods. Such matters, he emphasised, were the clear responsibility of governments, and the “explicit and strong commitment of governments” is essential if there is to be any lasting solution to the problem.
In the BIMCO President’s address, he underlined the urgency of the situation, with the criminals effectively now menacing global trade and traumatising a large number of innocent seafarers, with trade unions now calling for a boycott of the affected areas. “We are dangerously close to a turning point for the freedom of navigation on vital trade routes,” he said.
He reminded his audience that “engagement, dialogue and multinational co-operation” had solved the piracy problem in the Malacca and Singapore Straits, and while the Somali situation was not exactly the same, this cannot, he said, be used as an excuse for a continuation of the current inadequate approach. The shipping industry needed to bring its concern about the piracy menace to a wider public, much of which was yet to be appraised about its seriousness. A loud noise of protest, as Masters sounded their sirens in port each day, could symbolise this growing impatience.
The action will support the SOS Save Our Seafarers campaign launched by BIMCO, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the International Shipping Federation (ISF), Intercargo, INTERTANKO and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). The SOS campaign aims at encouraging millions of people around the world to heap pressure on their national Governments to crack down on piracy by visiting www.saveourseafarers.com and signing an on-line petition.


Related Posts

Despite ₦5.17trn Surplus, Dollar Dominates Nigeria-China Trade As Naira-Yuan Swap Struggles

Despite ₦5.17trn Surplus, Dollar Dominates Nigeria-China Trade As Naira-Yuan Swap Struggles

June 30, 2025
Meningitis: Death Toll In Kebbi Hits 56 – Govt 

Meningitis: Death Toll In Kebbi Hits 56 – Govt 

March 24, 2025
Navy Rescues 8 Police Officers,1 Civilian From Boat Accident In Bayelsa

Navy Rescues 8 Police Officers,1 Civilian From Boat Accident In Bayelsa

January 8, 2025
PHOTO NEWS: SIFAX Thanksgiving and Night of Praise 2.0

PHOTO NEWS: SIFAX Group Thanksgiving and Night of Praise 2.0

December 18, 2024

Discussion about this post

Latest News

Customs Intercepts Fuel Worth ₦58.36m

CRFFN in Crisis as 4 of 5 Accredited Associations Rebel — Declare POF Illegal After Court Bombshell

July 19, 2025

Nigerian Navy’s Maritime Institute Commences Executive Blue Economy Course for Media Leaders

NSML Bags Maritime Excellence Award, Reaffirms Focus on Training and Capacity Development

Alumni of Maritime Academy of Nigeria Appeal to President Tinubu to Protect Academy’s Unique Structure

NIMASA’s Campaign Against War Risk Premiums: Rhetoric Or Real Reform?

Customs Intercepts Fuel Worth ₦58.36m

E-Call-Up: Lagos, Stakeholders Agree On From Aug. 1 Take-off, N10,000 Fee

Customs CG Adeniyi Adopts Public School, Promises Sustained Support for Education, Health and Youth Development

Navy Hands Over 1,575 Kg Of Cannabis Sativa To NDLEA

Comptroller Oramalugo Launches Second Edition Of Book On Customs Administration In Nigeria

Troops Apprehend 42 Oil Thieves, Recover Stolen Products

Mariners Launch Waterside Centre in Lagos, Hold Symposium in Honour of Late Dr. Asoluka

kindly like our Facebook page

Health

The Usefulness Of Watermelon Seeds You May Not Know
Health

The Usefulness Of Watermelon Seeds You May Not Know

July 14, 2025

Watermelon is one fruit that’s hard to resist when it gets too hot. It’s sweet and is high in water...

KNOW YOUR BODY PARTS: THE HEART

KNOW YOUR BODY PARTS: THE HEART

June 30, 2025
Why Your Favourite Seasoning Cubes May Be Hurting Your Kidneys

Why Your Favourite Seasoning Cubes May Be Hurting Your Kidneys

June 30, 2025
Contraceptive Pills Can’t Cause Cervical Cancer – Expert

Contraceptive Pills Can’t Cause Cervical Cancer – Expert

June 30, 2025
ONIONS: The Good Old Healing Vegetable

KNOW YOUR BODY PARTS: The Liver

June 16, 2025
ONIONS: The Good Old Healing Vegetable

ONIONS: The Good Old Healing Vegetable

June 16, 2025
Why Prostate Disorder Cases Are Increasing Among Nigerian Men – Experts

Why Prostate Disorder Cases Are Increasing Among Nigerian Men – Experts

June 1, 2025
20m Nigerians Live With Mental Health Issues, Says WHO

20m Nigerians Live With Mental Health Issues, Says WHO

June 1, 2025
Health Facts You Didn’t Know

How Your Habit Affects Fertility

May 19, 2025
Fruits For Raining Season

Fruits For Raining Season

May 19, 2025

© 2021 Shippingposition

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Coast To Coast
  • Oil and Gas
  • Maritime Education
  • The Terminals
  • Maritime safety

© 2021 Shippingposition