Eltvedt & O’Sullivan, our correspondents in Marseille, France, has provided us with the following information.
Quote
We have today been advised by TCI Lagos of an attack on a ship berthed alongside Apapa Terminal, by a group of six men armed with guns and knives in an attempt to steal cargo.
The incident occurred during the early evening when the men jumped onto the ship’s deck from the quay. Fortunately no crew members were killed or injured in the attack.
The shore watchmen proved unwilling to assist the ship’s crew during the attack and the fact that a group of six armed men had been able to enter and circulate within the port area brings into question the standards to which the requirements of the ISPS Code are respected at this port.
We would suggest that if your Members encounter similar problems in this or any other port, that they inform BIMCO and that the Master also makes a written request to meet with the Port Facility Security Officer (PFSO) to express his concern and hear what steps will be taken to prevent such an incident from happening again.
In the future it will be extremely useful if the Master will inform his local P&I Club Correspondent of any such attack. The Correspondent will then be able to monitor all incidents which occur in the port and to give advice to other Masters on the security situation.
The Correspondent will also be better able to assist the Master at his meeting with the PFSO, where his concise up to date local knowledge of the security situation will be of great help.
Whilst the presence of a P&I Surveyor, and / or a tally team, will not of itself prevent a pirate attack, it will offer the chance that useful first hand knowledge is collected eg from overheard conversations in the local languages, which might help to identify the robbers.
Unquote
For further information please contact: Capt. W.J. Woodward at Eltvedt & O’Sullivan Tel. +33 491140460 or jwoodward@eltvedtosullivan.com
Member Alert is published by The Swedish Club as a service to members. While the information is believed correct, the Club cannot assume responsibility for completeness or accuracy.