Measures to prevent Stowaways
Here’s a checklist of measures you can take to reduce the risk of stowaways boarding your vessel
- Gather information from all available sources, e.g. the shipowner, agents, maritime journals and newspapers, concerning the current status of the stowaway problem in the area.
- Is this a regional hotspot for stowaways?
- What are the statistics for this area of operation when it comes to stowaways?
- Ascertain the techniques used by stowaways to gain access to the vessel, e.g. bribery, in containers, use boats or swim to hide in rudder trunks, or by posing as stevedores.
- Discuss the procedures with other Masters to determine effective countermeasures and to gather more intelligence.
