BIMCO's position on "piracy, armed robbery and other violent criminal acts at sea " has been approved by the BIMCO Board of Directors.
The framework for the repression of piracy under international law is mainly set out in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which came into force in 1994. States have an obligation to cooperate in the repression of piracy to the fullest possible extent. In international waters (i.e. outside the territorial waters) all states have universal jurisdiction (ie all states can act)to seize pirate ships, or a ship taken by piracy and under the control of pirates, and arrest the persons on board. Thus, these rights also apply in a country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Armed robbery can occur in internal waters and within the limit of the territorial sea (up to 12 nautical miles from the base line) of a coastal state and in such cases the primary responsibility for enforcement normally falls on the coastal state.
All states have a shared responsibility to ensure the global supply chain is protected on the high seas and in territorial waters. Effective implementation of UNCLOS in national law is thus key to reduce armed robbery, acts of piracy or other violent acts at sea.
BIMCO’s strategic aim is to see the eradication of piracy and armed robbery at sea. Only then will seafarers’ safety and freedom of navigation be assured, without the need for self-protection measures and additional insurance premiums.
Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) publish regular Bunker Alerts based entirely on fuel samples and have kindly permitted BIMCO’s Members to access this information.
The Bunker Alerts are not intended to be an evaluation of overall bunker quality in the port or area concerned, but usually highlight a specific parameter within the fuel which has raised a quality issue.
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