The Philippines urged ship owners and countries to assume the responsibility of ensuring the safety of seafarers, including thousands of Filipinos sailors, from armed attacks.
Manila made this call through its Philippine Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Ambassador Enrique Manalo.
In a ministerial meeting in London last week, Manila sought for better protection of seafarers amid incessant pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia.
The IMO is a United Nations specialized agency responsible for ensuring maritime safety and security and protecting the marine environment.
Manalo said the duty of the crew is to safely operate the ships, but “it is in turn the responsibility of shipping companies and flag states to protect them from the scourge of piracy as they carry out this duty.”
The global shipping industry, which carries 80 percent of international trade, employs about 1.2 million seafarers, the bulk of whom come from the Philippines.
Apart from manning oil tankers, Filipino sailors work on board luxury liners and passenger vessels worldwide, exposing them to piracy attacks.
Piracy and ransom kidnappings of Filipino sailors, particularly in the dangerous Gulf of Aden off Somalia, have long been a problem for the Philippine government as it lacks the capacity to monitor their movements when at sea.
Somali authorities are likewise powerless over these groups since there is no existing central government in the African state. Since the United Nations withdrew in Somalia in March 1995 without restoring a functioning government, little progress has been made.
Manalo said the Philippine government continues to advocate for the implementation of best management practices (BMPs) codified by the commercial shipping sector as the primary defense against pirate attacks.
These practices include the use of razor wires around the vessel to deter pirates from climbing on board, joining convoys travelling under the protection of naval escorts, and the use of citadels or a safe room where crewmembers can seek shelter as they await rescue by naval forces currently deployed in the waters off Somalia to protect civilian vessels.
Manila also supports the use of armed guards onboard ships to protect the crew.
Manila made this call through its Philippine Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Ambassador Enrique Manalo.
In a ministerial meeting in London last week, Manila sought for better protection of seafarers amid incessant pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia.
The IMO is a United Nations specialized agency responsible for ensuring maritime safety and security and protecting the marine environment.
Manalo said the duty of the crew is to safely operate the ships, but “it is in turn the responsibility of shipping companies and flag states to protect them from the scourge of piracy as they carry out this duty.”
The global shipping industry, which carries 80 percent of international trade, employs about 1.2 million seafarers, the bulk of whom come from the Philippines.
Apart from manning oil tankers, Filipino sailors work on board luxury liners and passenger vessels worldwide, exposing them to piracy attacks.
Piracy and ransom kidnappings of Filipino sailors, particularly in the dangerous Gulf of Aden off Somalia, have long been a problem for the Philippine government as it lacks the capacity to monitor their movements when at sea.
Somali authorities are likewise powerless over these groups since there is no existing central government in the African state. Since the United Nations withdrew in Somalia in March 1995 without restoring a functioning government, little progress has been made.
Manalo said the Philippine government continues to advocate for the implementation of best management practices (BMPs) codified by the commercial shipping sector as the primary defense against pirate attacks.
These practices include the use of razor wires around the vessel to deter pirates from climbing on board, joining convoys travelling under the protection of naval escorts, and the use of citadels or a safe room where crewmembers can seek shelter as they await rescue by naval forces currently deployed in the waters off Somalia to protect civilian vessels.
Manila also supports the use of armed guards onboard ships to protect the crew.
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