Egyptian warning of piracy and hijacking of ships in 3 lanes

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The Egyptian Authority for the Safety of Maritime Navigation issued an urgent warning to the Maritime Officers Syndicate, directing them to tighten precautionary measures and navigation security measures to protect the lives of Egyptian sailors, following reports of commercial ships being exposed to security risks and the kidnapping of a number of sailors.

Captain Al-Sayed Al-Shazly, President of the Maritime Officers Syndicate and representative of the International Transport Workers’ Federation in Egypt, confirmed that the Authority stressed the necessity of seafarers’ commitment to staying away as much as possible from high-risk areas and hotbeds of armed conflict, to avoid being exposed to threats that may affect their lives or the safety of the ships on which they work.

The head of the union also indicated in statements to Al Arabiya.net/Al Hadath.net that the official directives obligated all ships and their crews to fully implement the precautionary measures stipulated in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, and to fully adhere to the International Ship Security Code, as well as the Maritime Labor Convention, which preserves the rights of sailors and ensures their safety while performing their duties. He warned that any failure to take preventive measures before or during sailing may result in legal consequences and responsibilities depending on the circumstances of each incident.

As for the areas and passages that are classified as navigationally dangerous, Al-Shazly explained that there are three regions in the world currently classified by the International Federation as areas of military operations, which gives civilian sailors rights and direct compensation to protect them, most notably the Arabian Gulf region, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman, where the sailor is entitled to a 100% wage bonus, with the right to immediately refuse to sail and be deported at the expense of the ship owner to his country, in addition to two months’ salary.

He also added that the second region includes the southern Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab, and the Yemeni coast, and the rights therein include doubling death and disability compensation and a full wage award with the application of the third security level, which is the highest and maximum level of prudent insurance in accordance with the International Code for the Security of Ships and Facilities, where an announcement is made when there is an imminent or confirmed risk of a security incident or an armed terrorist attack.

He said that in this case, movement and entry will be restricted, the ship’s ports will be completely closed, the boarding or disembarkation of any unauthorized individuals will be exceptionally prevented, a careful and intensive security inspection will be conducted of all parts, equipment, shipments and individuals, the work of loading and unloading or supplying fuel and supplies will be suspended, and preparations will be made to leave the dangerous area immediately.

As for the third region, it is represented - PSF Al-Shazly - in the regions of the northern Black Sea, the ports of Ukraine, and the Sea of ​​Azov, which is classified as a “area of ​​military operations and high risks.” This classification guarantees sailors the same rights and compensations applicable in the Middle East region without the slightest distinction.

These developments came a few weeks after the incident that took place in the shipping area in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, where the commercial oil tanker “M/T Eureka” was subjected to armed robbery and kidnapping off the coast of the Yemeni governorate of Shabwa, after gunmen succeeded in boarding the ship and forcefully taking it at gunpoint towards the territorial waters and the Somali coast, while imposing a siege on its crew and making demands that a huge financial ransom be paid in exchange for their release.

On board the detained tanker were 8 Egyptian sailors belonging to several governorates, including Dakahlia, Sharqia, Gharbia, and Damietta.

As a result, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the relevant national authorities intensified their efforts and mobilized their diplomatic and security contacts to closely follow the file of the detained sailors and coordinate with international and regional actors. These efforts ultimately resulted in the success of the efforts to liberate all the Egyptian sailors and release them safely after a difficult ordeal of detention that lasted for several months at sea.