- 22
*
Comment
30
While all these fears are understandable, it is judged imperative that such fears are repressed and that shipmasters and owners are meticulous in reporting all incidents. The reporting system suggested in this chapter aims to avoid delaying ships' schedules and the effect on insurance rates can be best summarized as follows:
"Insurance rates appear not to have been affected and insurance companies do not seem concerned about it to the extent of offering rewards for the arrest and conviction of pirates".*
Piracy on the high seas
31
The reporting of incidents of piracy on the high seas should follow a similar pattern to that needed for territorial seas, with masters raising the nearest RCC or coast radio station by whatever means for immediate reports and supplementing the initial report by fax, telex or even hand-despatched reports. For such incidents, masters should address their reports in the first instance to their owners and the Rescue Co-ordination Centre (RCC) concerned. RCCS should pass such reports to neighbouring RCCs and owners must immediately process such reports through the flag State maritime Administration to IMO. Flag States should consider repeating these reports to fellow States, who either have naval forces deployed in the area or who may be in a position to exercise political and diplomatic influence in the region.
32
IMO is recommended to process such reports, as recommended in paragraphs 24 to 26 above, while additionally devoting time and resources to assessing the attacks and the modus operandi employed within IMO. Once again IMB's Regional Piracy Centre can help in the maintenance of the necessary statistical base and in updating the piracy warning system for other vessels that may be navigating through the affected area. Confirmed attacks on the high seas will generally warrant urgent reports from IMO to the interested parties. Additionally, in the case of major long-term hijacks of ships and their cargoes for criminal gain, it will be necessary for the police forces of the States concerned to co-operate closely in the pursuit and prosecution of the criminals involved.
Feedback
33 In order to 'close the loop' and preserve the validity and accuracy of routine reports and warnings, it is essential that every agency concerned feed additional information to IMO to update incidents.
Flow diagrams of reporting system
34 In order to clarify this system, flow diagrams are shown in annex 5 to illustrate the passage of information.
* App. 3, United States Department of Energy Report on Tanker Piracy
(September 1993).
W/9181e
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