Make Some Noise

BIMCO President Robert Lorenz-Meyer has called for a highly audible protest from the shipping industry against piracy.

He has called for a 30-second blast from ships’ horns every day at noon, in every port in the world.

The measure has been recommended to draw public attention to piracy and the fact that nearly 800 seafarers are being held captive.

He reminded his audience that “engagement, dialogue and multinational co-operation” had solved the piracy problem in the Malacca and Singapore Straits, and while the Somali situation was not exactly the same, this cannot, he said, be used as an excuse for a continuation of the current inadequate approach. The shipping industry needed to bring its concern about the piracy menace to a wider public, much of which was yet to be appraised about its seriousness. A loud noise of protest, as masters sounded their sirens in port each day could symbolise this growing impatience.

The action will support the SOS Save Our Seafarers campaign launched by BIMCO, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the International Shipping Federation (ISF), Intercargo, INTERTANKO and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF). The SOS campaign aims at encouraging millions of people around the world to heap pressure on their national Governments to crack down on piracy by visiting www.saveourseafarers.com and signing an on-line petition.

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