419
Numerous diplomatic, military and other initiatives
have been applied by many governments and
governmental agencies to root out piracy.Ship
owners,ship‐managersandtheirrepresentativeshave
likewise applied protective measures to ensure the
safetyofshipsandcrew.Thesemeasure, alongwith
international intervention in Somalia, have been
successfulincurbingSomali‐ba
sedincidentsofpiracy
in the Indian Ocean.No new reports of successful
pirateattacksintheGulfofAdenandIndianOcean
havebeenreceived,althoughseveralfalsealarmsand
suspicious activity have been reported.It is feared
that pirates’ capacity to attack ships persists. At the
date of publicat
ion no vessels are held by Somali
pirates, but 37 seafarers and fishers are reportedly
beingheldashorebypirategangs,afteronediedlast
Mayof,itissuspected,malaria.Thelatestreleaseof
seafarers occurred in June2014 when theremaining
survivors from the Albedo were repa
triated, after
three years in captivity. Some of the remaining
seafarers have now been held hostage for 4 years.
Noknownnegotiationsareinprocesstofacilitatethe
releaseofthe37.
Meanwhile piracy and other forms of maritime
crime have increased in the Gulf of Guinea and
Malacca Straits.Theseregions havebeen notorious
for pira
cy.However, the nature of piracy in these
regionshasevolvedandthepoliticalchallengesthey
posearebothuniqueandcomplextoaddress.Ships
are regularly attacked, often for product theft and
seafarers are robbed of personal possessions or
kidnapped for ransom and put at risk as they go
ab
out their legitimate business in national and
internationalwaters.
TheMPHRPisdeeplyconcernedforthewellbeing
of seafarers in hostage situations.There have been
cases of brutal treatment, abuse and torture and
lately, most regrettably, several fatalities, including
the apparent murder of hostages, while others have
beenusedasʺhumanshieldsʺ.Manyotherseafarers,
eventhough theirship ma
y not have been hijacked,
havefoundthemselvesunderarmedattackandmay
Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme
(MPHRP)
A.Dimitrevich&V.G.Torskiy
OdessaNationalMaritimeAcademy,Odessa,Ukraine
ABSTRACT: In recent years nearly 5000 seafarers have been hijacked and detained for months often in
appallingconditions,whilethousandsofothershavebeenthevictimsofapirateattack.Giventhesenumerous
concerns,apan‐industryallianceofshipowners,unions,managers,manningagents,insurersand shipping‐
and welfare associations (marit
ime, labour, faith or secular) has come together to establish theʺMaritime
Piracy:aHumanitarianResponseProgrammeʺ(MPHRP).TheobjectivesofthisProgrammeaddressthethree
phasesofʺpre‐,duringandpost‐incidentʺ,withtheaimofimplementinga model of assisting seafarers and
theirfamilieswiththehumanitarianasp
ectsofatraumaticincidentcausedbyapiracyattack,armedrobberyor
beingtakenhostage.
http://www.transnav.eu
the International Journal
on Marine Navigation
and Safety of Sea Transportation
Volume 8
Number 3
September 2014
DOI:10.12716/1001.08.03.13
420
havealsobeensubjecttoa harrowingtimelockedina
citadeluntilreleased.
Figure1.Affectedbypirates’incidents.Bynations
Whileacknowledgingtheactionsofgovernments,
the United Nations and the International Maritime
Organisation, the shipping industry has recognised
thatmoreneedstobedonetosupportseafarersand
their families, not least due to the threat to
recruitmentandretentionofpersonnel.
Theincidentsofpiracyhavedirectlyaffectedmore
than5000seafarerswhohavebeenhijackedandheld
hostage for months often in appalling conditions,
whilethousandsofothershavebeenthevictimsofa
pirateattacks,albeitunsuccessfulattacks.Dailymore
than100,000seafarerstransitregionsknownforpirate
activity, inducing anxiety. Their families share these
worries,often
withafeelingofhelplessness.
Given these numerous concerns, a pan‐industry
alliance of shipowners, unions, managers, manning
agents, insurers and welfare associations (maritime,
labour,faithorsecular)hascometogethertoestablish
theʺMaritime Piracy: a Humanitarian Response
Programmeʺ(MPHRP).
The Programme has been built around the affect
piracy
hasonseafarersandtheirfamilies.Seafarers,
obviously,playapivotalroleinanypiracyincident.It
isuptoseafarerstodiligentlyapplyappropriateBest
Management Practice (BMP4) as adopted by the
industry for safe transit through the Gulf of Aden,
andnewproposalsbeingdraftedbytheindustry
for
transitingtheGulfofGuinea.Seafarersareexpected
to remain vigilant and take responsibility for their
ownsafety.Inaddition,understandingthemotives,
tacticsandbehaviortobeexpectedfrompiratesand
knowinghowbestto conduct themselvesinhostage
situations,couldenhanceresilienceandmay helpto
ensurecontinued
well‐beinginandultimatesurvival
ofthesevolatilesituations.
Seafarersareintegraltotheoveralloutcomeofthe
incident.Hencethefocusontrainingseafarersforthe
unlikelyeventofpirateattack.
The training is evidence based, relying on the
research and input of a task group of multi‐
disciplined,internationalspecialistsandonextensive
fact finding and feedback gained from firsthand
meetings andinterviews with seafarers and families
worldwide,includingmanywithfirsthandexperience
ofattacksandhijackings.
Advisory groups on industry practices and
procedureswereconsultedandofferedcollaboration.
The Programme is governed and advised by a
Programme
Steering Group, the largest known
alliance in the industry, with the aim of caring for
seafarersandfamiliesaffectedbypiracy.
The Programme provides pre‐deployment piracy
trainingforseafarersandcompanies,andteachesthe
skillsrequired ofwelfarerespondersonhowbestto
assistseafarersandfamilieswhofall
victimtopiracy.
TheProgrammehasdeveloped:
“good practice” guides for use by shipping
companies, manning agents and welfare
associations to support both seafarers and
seafarers’ families through the three phases of a
piracyincident;pre‐departure,thecrisisandpost‐
release/post‐incident,
associatedtrainingmodules,
an international
network of trained first
emergency‐ and welfare responders with
appropriate skills within partner and associated
organisations,
accesstoanetworkofprofessionalaftercare,
a24hourseafarers’internationalhelpline
TheobjectivesofthisProgrammeaddressthethree
phases ofʺpre‐, during and post‐incidentʺ, with the
aim of implementing a model of assisting seafarers
andtheirfamilieswiththehumanitarianaspectsofa
traumatic incident caused by a piracy attack, armed
robbery or being taken hostage. The services of the
Programmeareofferedtotheindustryasanintegral
part of the Emergency Response Procedures of
shipping
companies and manning agencies in
cooperation with partners involved in seafarersʹ
welfare (maritime, union, faith or secular based
agencies),companyrepresentativesandotherbodies
asappropriate.
Theoutcomesareanticipatedtoinclude:
Guidelines onʺgood practiceʺ for companies and
seafarer welfare organisations on supporting
seafarers and their family members
through the
three phases of a piracy incident from pre‐
deployment, during the crisis and post
release/postincident.
Thedevelopmentandimplementationofrelevant
trainingmodules.
The development of an international network of
trained first‐responders with appropriate skills
withinpartnerandassociatedorganisations.
Accesstoanetwork
ofprofessionalaftercare.
Theavailabilityofaseafarersʹtelephonehelpline.
A resource to collect appropriate
research/information and to make this available
wherefurtheradviceorassistanceissought.
MPHRP has established regional offices and
appointed its representatives in Ukraine, India and
421
Philippines–incountrieswherethegreatestnumber
ofseafarerswereaffectedbypirates’incidents.
In Ukraine representatives of Maritime
Community has organized MPHRP National
Working Group aimed to adapt and implement
MPHRP guides and training for seafarers’ benefits
withinthecountrytakingintoaccountpeculiaritiesof
Nationallaw, mentality
and traditions. Thus Odessa
National Maritime Academy is an active participant
of the Programme.It has delivered joint courses,
lectures and seminars for its students with MPHRP
DirectorintheEasternEuroperegion.
The MPHRP has achieved many of its ongoing
objectivesinitsfirstfiveyearsofoperationsand
has
receivedacclaimandrecognitionforitsexcellencein
delivery of services to seafarers and the industry.
The Seatrade Award for Safety at Sea, a prestigious
annual award recognising the best in the industry,
wasawardedtoMPHRPin2014.
TheProgrammehasachieved
The release, with the help of
the Programme’s
partners,ofseveralhostages,themostrecentbeing
the survivors of the Albedo.Eleven seafarers
came home to Iran, India, Sri Lanka and
Bangladesh.These seafarers and families were
supported with 450 other seafarers and families
that the MPHRP is helping to overcome the
aftermathofpiracy.The
Programmealsosupports
thefamiliesofseafarerswhohavenotreturnedbut
are missing or have died.One Indian seafarer
from the Albedo was shot dead by pirates, and
four Sri Lankan seafarers are missing since the
AlbedosankofftheSomalicoast
37 seafarers remain in Somalia.One recently
diedincaptivity.MPHRPtriestoraiseinterestin
facilitating these seafarers’ possible release.No‐
oneelseisdoinganythingtosecuretheirfreedom
as all negotiations with owners have stalled.
MPHRPcontinuestosupportthefamiliesofthese
seafarers,includingthecrewoftheNaham3.
Piracy in
the Gulf of Guinea is a very different
problemthanSomali‐based piracy.TheMPHRP
havebeenresearchingtheuniqueaspectsofGulf
of Guinea West African piracy.The industry is
developinganewstandardforgoodmanagement
practice to mitigate the risk of piracy in West
Africa.Attacks continue.Some
attacks lead to
kidnap for ransom. MPHRP is reviewing and
expandingitsoriginalGoodPracticeGuidesforall
theindustrytoincludeuptodateinformationon
how piracy has evolved, and to include
informationuniquetoGulfofGuinea.MPHRPis
looking towards developing a quick response
procedure that
would suit the needs of seafarers
affectedbypiracyintheGulfofGuinea.
PiracyinIndonesiahasbeenflaringupandthere
aresignsthatthemodusoperandimimicsthatof
WestAfricanpirates:product/cargotheft,taking
the valuables off the ship, damaging
communication equipment, etc.The
MPHRP is
developing appropriateresponses forthis part of
theworld.
Welfare Responders Training has been launched
since the end of 2013.130 welfare responders
havebeentrainedworldwidetosupportseafarers
and families. Some were trained in Ukraine, as
many affected seafarers come from here. The
trainingcourse
forwelfareresponders focuses on
reassurance.It includes dealing with the
anticipation of piracy (fear and anxiety), good
practice in dealing with hostage situations,
humanitarian responses to the needs of seafarers
and families during captivity and immediately
after release.Recovery includes re‐employment,
preferablyatsea.
Researchontheimpact
ofpiracyonseafarersand
familiesisbeingdoneinUkraineincollaboration
with Oceans Beyond Piracy / One Earth
Foundation.
DuetoexcellentworkbeingdoneinUkraine,the
MPHRP has extended the remit of the Ukraine
team to include the region Eastern Europe,
operationalsincethebeginning
of2014.
The Programme continues to support 200
seafarersʹ families who have not been able to
readjust to the situation post piracy.These
families and seafarers are helped financially,
medically,withcounsellingandgeneralsupport.
REFERENCES
MPHRPGuides2011
IMBStatistics2011
