Page 16: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (June 2, 2010)

NEWS 16 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News

An unprecedented coalition of organizations – from trade unions to shipowners’ associations and insurers – has joined forces to back a global e-pe- tition demanding concrete action to end the piracy that is putting lives at risk and threatening world trade.

The petition www.endpiracypetition.org is the centrepiece of a new campaign to persuade all governments to commit the resources necessary to end the increasing problem of Somalia-based piracy. It is intended to deliver at least half a mil- lion signatures to governments by IMO World

Maritime Day, September 23. It calls on nations to: • Dedicate significant resources and work to find real solutions to the growing piracy problem. • Take immediate steps to secure the release and safe return of kidnapped seafarers to their fami- lies • Work within the international community to secure a stable and peaceful future for Somalia and its people

The campaign is being backed by BIMCO, ICS,

IFSMA, IMEC, IPTA, Intercargo, InterManager,

International Group of P&I Clubs, INTER-

TANKO, ISF, ITF, IUMI and SIGTTO*, as well as national shipowners’ associations and trade unions worldwide. ITF General Secretary David

Cockroft commented: “With one click everyone can now make their feelings about piracy known, and then pass the link on to all their colleagues around the world who feel the same. In this way we can signal our belief that it is past time for all governments to do what has to be done to protect seafarers, ships and the goods that they carry and on which we all rely.”

Push to Thwart Piracy

GMATS Presents

Piracy Countermeasures

June 23-24, 2010

The Global Maritime and Transportation School at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy along with co-sponsor American Military University will convene its second annual Piracy Countermeasure

Seminar on June 23 and June 24. The seminar will take place aboard the Academy’s scenic water- front campus conveniently located in Kings Point, N.Y. on the North Shore of Long Island just out- side of New York City.

This two day seminar offers practical analysis of the maritime industry’s newest, best practices as well as proven seaborne preventive steps developed in response to current piracy operations off So- malia and other choke points and piracy hot spots around the globe.

The first day will examine piracy’s socio-economic, business and political dynamic. Topics to be covered include the insurance industry’s response to the evolving threat to vessels, cargo and per- sonnel. Also being discussed are the effectiveness of the existing international maritime security in- frastructure and naval coalitions. Company piracy incident policy and procedure, including countermeasures and techniques will be evaluated. The program will review media reaction and piracy's impact on crew members’ families as well as corporate responsibility and liability.

Day two focuses on at-sea operational and tactical procedures, highlighted by a practical waterfront demonstration of emerging technology along with a featured hostage ransom negotiation. The day and seminar will conclude with critical analysis and discussion. http://gmats.usmma.edu

BIMCO (The Baltic and International Maritime Council) • www.bimco.org

ICS (International Chamber of Shipping) • www.marisec.org

IFSMA (International Federation of Shipmasters' Associations) • www.ifsma.org

IMEC (International Maritime Employers’ Committee) • www.imec.org.uk

IPTA (International Parcel Tankers Association) • www.ipta.org.uk

Intercargo (International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners) • www.intercargo.org

InterManager (International Ship Managers' Association) • www.intermanager.org

International Group of P&I Clubs (IGP&I) • www.igpandi.org

INTERTANKO • www.intertanko.com

ISF (International Shipping Federation) • www.marisec.org/isf

ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) • www.itfglobal.org

IUMI (International Union of Marine Insurance) • www.iumi.com

Society of International Gas Tankers & Terminal Operators Ltd • www.sigtto.org