US Bodily Injury News Squatters on the sea


We have all heard about them, perhaps even been a bit intrigued by their stories, but in reality, for a shipowner, a stowaway discovered onboard one of their vessels presents big headaches.


stowaways before arriving in port


 Maintain regular patrols of ship  Ensure that the ship is equipped with securing wire, tape, locks and seals to show spaces have been searched and sealed


 Lock and seal all outside doors, hatches, accesses to holds, etc.


Dolores O’Leary Claims executive


Who are they?


A stowaway is a person who hides on a ship, or in cargo, or in a container which is subsequently loaded onto the ship, without the consent of the shipowner or Master and who remains onboard the ship once she leaves port. Stowaways tend to be young, poor and desperate for a better life. In recent years, the greatest number of stowaways have come from Africa.


What kind of problems do they present?


The presence of stowaways on board a vessel creates a multitude of issues:


 Immigration issues at next port of call  Financial issues for shipowner/charterer  Keeping stowaway(s) secure while onboard the vessel


 Repatriation issues  Obtaining proper travel documentation for stowaways


 Health/medical issues of stowaway  Safety issues


What can the shipowner do?


Prevention is highly recommended. Good security measures at the port will help to prevent stowaways from ever boarding the vessel.


 Do not rely solely on port security  Master should inform all crew of threat of


 Keep only one door available for accommodation


 Check identification of all people boarding ship  Use local security staff to assist ship’s staff  Ensure that ship has good lighting on all deck spaces


 Conduct a thorough search of the ship before leaving port


Note: The International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code was developed to establish an international framework of measures to enhance maritime security and has provided ships with procedures to prevent stowaways from boarding the ship. In ports and terminals where there are


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