Officials from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) arrived in the city on Tuesday to conduct a workshop for seafarers who may face the risk of piracy. The officials have come up with Dos and Don’ts for the seafarers to avert any such attack in the first place and, if attacked, how to tackle the situation.
“Our main mission is to coordinate with the shipping community and give guidance for the implementation of the Best Management Practices for seafarers,” said commander Stein Hagalid, a branch head of the Nato Shipping Center. Fourte-en per cent of the world’s seafarers are Indians, another official said.
“Shipping companies need to register with the Maritime Security Centre (horn of Africa), in charge of all piracy-related incidents in the gulf of Aden; they will help in a crisis. The vessel should also report to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organisation, which has secured internet chat with warships around the world,” the official said.
“The crew should be vigilant and raise an alarm if they see a pirate boat approaching. They should also install
barbed wire fences around their vessel,” the official added.
He also expressed concern at the fact that children below 15 years are being recruited by pirates. “Pirates use these children to board the target ship, which is very risky,” he said.