23.09.2009
Source:
Due to the growth of pirate attacks, International Transport Workers' Federation (ITWF) where Guild of Russian Sailors (GRS) is on the rolls addressed a petition to International Bargaining Forum (IBF) with a request to expand high risk area near Somali coast and to double the salary of seamen, said to RIA Novosti Nikolai Sukhanov, the head of GRS Far East regional branch.
"The petition was addressed due to the fact that pirates have become active not only in the Gulf of Aden and near Somali but also off Nigerian coast. Until recently 13 cases of assaults on merchant ships by sea-robbers were recorded. 21 pirate attacks were committed in Southeast Asian seas", said the agency's interlocutor.
According to International Maritime Bureau, he said, 240 pirate attacks were committed over the world during the first half of 2009; that is twice as much as in the first half of 2008. Currently, 561 crewmembers are held hostages, 19 men were injured while assaults, 7 were kidnapped, 6 were killed and 8 disappeared. Despite 25 naval ships patrolling the Gulf of Aden and Somali coast zone mainly along the "safety corridor", pirates exploit success constantly altering their tactics and using traps, floating bases and even night operations.
"International Transport Workers' Federation jointly with Guild of Russian Sailors in their petition offer to double salaries and payment rates of compensations for death or injury for sailors working in danger zone and have signed collective agreements with mentioned organizations. If a vessel is in the danger zone but out of recommended International safety corridor, the seamen have a right to refuse continuing the cruise and are to be repatriated at the expense of employer", said Sukhanov.
He specified that often the tasks of vessel security are more important than the task of crew protection. That is exactly said about in typical management procedure recommended by international anti-piracy compact group.
"In the document submitted for discussion the following matters are considered: improving of crew protection facilities when designing vessels, settling hostage taking situations, rendering material assistance to sailors families, psychological support and medical care of released hostages", Sukhanov said.
The third unit of Pacific Fleet ships is presently on watch near Horn of Africa in the Gulf of Aden. It comprises large antisubmarine ship (LAS)
Admiral Tributs, tanker
Boris Butoma and rescue tug
SB-99. The group of ships had left Vladivostok on June 29 and a month later, July 30 approached Horn of Africa and started patrolling the Gulf of Aden and escorting merchant ships. Pacific Fleet command started to form the fourth unit of ships to be sent to Somali coast. The unit is planned to consist of a large antisubmarine ship, two support vessels and Marine unit.
