Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea remains a big problem but local laws and enforcement practices make it difficult for vessels to call at ports in the region with foreign armed guards onboard
The 2018 amendments to the MLC, 2006 will bring about a change to a seafarer's employment agreement (SEA) where it shall continue to have effect and wages shall continue to be paid while a seafarer is held captive on or off the ship as a result of acts of piracy or armed robbery against ships.
The Club wishes to bring to Members' attention that during the recent XIX Party Congress in Beijing, the local authorities in China implemented enhanced security measures at all ports. We were aware of a number of cases where crew members were required by local authorities to surrender their mobile phones or other electronic devices for inspection when ships call at ports in China. Those inspections appeared to have been conducted at random, of if a ship was specifically identified as posing a security threat.
Members will be aware that since the end of March there has been a reescalation in the number of suspicious approaches around the Southern Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb & Gulf of Aden.
