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Life−saving

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ith thousands of migrants “The shipping industry fully accepts demands on the crew and there is a
attempting to cross from its humanitarian obligation to assist compelling need for governments to

North Africa to Europe by anyone at sea whose vessel is in ensure disembarkation as soon as
sea each year and many of them dying in distress. But the situation in the possible to a place of safety ashore”.

the process, the maritime industry Mediterranean has been spiralling out The shipping industry is not in a
grows ever more anxious of the impact of control, and may well get worse after position to solve the root causes of the

high scale but spontaneous rescue the end of the winter weather as crisis and recognises that governments
attempts are having on seafarers and thousands more people may attempt to face an enormous challenge. “But far

shipping companies’ resources.get to Europe from North Africa by sea,” more can be done by governments to

Mr Hinchliffe said.When the EU launched its 'Triton' ameliorate the current desperate
maritime border patrol operation this ICS, the global trade association for situation at sea in the Mediterranean,”

year critics claimed this would simply ship owners, said the crisis has already suggested Mr Hinchliffe.
encourage migrants to make the required over 600 commercial ships to ICS believes the coastal authorities

journey, knowing they are less likely to rescue tens of thousands of migrants in North Africa can do much more to
perish, but human rights groups state during the past 12 months, as people prevent the migrants’ craft from setting

that stopping Triton will endanger attempt to get to Europe in dilapidated out to sea in the first place, especially
thousands of lives.craft that are unfit for purpose, not where traffickers and people smugglers

seaworthy, and often grossly overloaded.The International Chamber of are involved. However, the European
Shipping (ICS) has spoken out about the He added: “Large scale rescues at Union and its Member States also need

issue at the high level Dialogue on sea are not routine events and pose to assist the authorities in North Africa

Protection at Sea, hosted by the United enormous challenges to ships that may and meet their moral responsibility as
Nations High Commissioner for only have accommodation and resources governments to support search and

Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva, where for a crew of perhaps 25 people. rescue operations and those merchant
ICS Secretary General Peter Hinchliffe Recovering 200 or sometimes even 400 ships that are often the first on the

called on governments to address the anxious and distressed people onboard a scene. ICS suggests that more rescue
growing refugee and migrant crisis in merchant ship, and administering to resources need to be committed to the

the Mediterranean.their immediate needs, places hugeregion by all EU Member States and that

Issue 63 2014
24 The SHIP Supplier