MSC 70/15/2
4 BIMCO recognises that the Committee has taken
decisive steps towards addressing the issues of piracy and
armed robbery against ships as described in paragraph 3
above. BIMCO believes, however, that the aim of the
recommendation to establish a permanent Working Group went
beyond addressing only piracy and armed robbery against
ships, but rather sought to encompass these issues together
with the issues of illicit drug trafficking and stowaway
activities.
5 In paragraph 4 of MSC 69/1 6 the Secretariat
notes that "most attacks worldwide were reported in
territorial waters while the ships were at anchor or
berthed." Similar to this trend concerning armed robbery
against ships, the activities involving drug smuggling and
stowaways boarding ships are predominantly taking place
within harbour limits, being within territorial waters, and
therefore under the jurisdiction of the coastal States.
6 BIMCO believes that programmes implemented
at seaports with the goal of improving security will not only
help to reduce the frequency of armed robbery against ships,
but will also contribute towards reducing the opportunities
for drug smugglers to place their contraband on board ships,
and reduce the opportunities for persons to gain access to
vessels with the intention of stowing away.
7 BIMCO feels that the burden of preventing
stowaways from boarding vessels and preventing the smuggling
of illicit drugs on board vessels has fallen primarily on the
ships' officers, crew and owners. At the same time ships are
implementing preventive measures against piracy and armed
robbery. Now that such preventive measures against these
threats are being implemented on board ships, BIMCO feels
that the time has come to focus more attention upon security
arrangements at the ports as part of a solution to these
problems.
8 BIMCO feels that a permanent Working Group,
if established, could undertake the following activities:
.1 consider these three security issues as
a whole and work towards the promotion of port security
programs that would include provisions aimed at the
prevention of each of these issues;
.2 monitor trends in armed robbery against
ships, drug smuggling and stowaway activities to identify
ports and regions where corrective port security programs
should be promoted and implemented;
.3 monitor ports that take corrective steps
toward improved port security
.4 monitor whether such programs once
implemented, achieve the desired results;
.5 evaluate port security programs to
ensure the best use of available resources;
.6 liase with the MSC and the Facilitation
Committee on these issues;
.7 other activities as deemed appropriate
in response to future security related developments; and
.8 report to the MSC and the Facilitation
Committee on the above activities
Action requested of the Committee
9 The Committee is invited to note the
information provided and take action as appropriate.
I :/MSC/70/15-2 .WPD
