News

     SINGAPORE, MARCH 30: ASIAN shipowners have once again voiced their concerns over the problem of piracy in the Gulf of Aden.

     They also highlighted the persisting operational concerns ahead  of the implementation of the Ballast water Convention of 2004 at the 18th interim meeting of the Asian Shipowners’ Forum (ASF) Safe Navigation and Environment Committee (SNEC) here.

     Shipowners’ associations from India, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Chinese Taipei and the Asean participated.

    They urged all governments and the UN to take more action to deal with the problem.

   The committee discussed the US proposal to ban the payment of ransom to the pirates, There was “great concern that in the absence of any effective efforts to stop piracy, a  ban on ransom payment would have a very adverse effect on the crew being held hostage by pirates,” the committee pointed out.

  On the 2004 convention, the committee said, “Whilst there are a number of International Maritime Organisation (IMO)-approved ballast water treatment systems available, these systems are not necessarily operationally effective for all types and sizes of ships.

   The committee also expressed grave concern over India closing grave concern over India closing down major shipping lanes in the Bay of Bengal for two days at very short notice in early February.

   “The committee’s opinion is that such very short notice and unilateral nature of the closure of the Bayof Bengal, a Major shipping lane, is not in accordance with IMO regulations.