Save Our Seafarers
A group of Maritime Industry bodies have combined their efforts to raise the awareness of politicians, the media and public about the ongoing piracy around the world. This is being organised under the name "Save Our Seafarers". The following press release gives details of their website where individuals can sign a letter which will be forwarded to their politicians and also a link to YouTube where they have a short video on Piracy.
Press Release
Industry campaign hits the big screen in battle against Somali piracy
05 October 2011
SOS SaveOurSeafarers, a high profile, shipping industry anti- piracy campaign is taking its message to celluloid with the launch of a short video highlighting the human and economic cost of Somali piracy.
The six-minute video was launched this week at the Safety4Seainternational maritime security conference in Athens and highlights the significant threat of Somali piracy attacks for the worldwide seafarer community and potentially for world trade itself.
The video, which is also being posted on YouTube, uses a mixture of hard-hitting real life interviews, and the latest technology to create a “Hollywood style” action sequence where a ship is captured and hostages taken. This is followed by some hard-hitting thoughts from a former hostage, from the EUNAVFOR Chief of Staff, and from a member of the SOS Steering Group.
Commenting on the launch of the video, Bill Box from SaveOurSeafarers, said: “Whilst recent incidents such as the high-profile kidnappings of Judith Tebutt and Marie Dedieu have put the issue in the headlines, these two incidents barely scrape the surface of this ongoing crisis.
“Seafarers have been constantly under threat from Somali pirates for the last five years, with at times more than 800 innocent seafarers being held hostage for months on end in appalling conditions and facing mental and physical torture at the hands of their captors. Piracy costs the global economy as much as £12billion a year and continues to threaten key transport routes through the Indian Ocean.”
“The aim of our video is to take the campaign message to a wider audience and to gain support outside as well as inside the maritime industry, calling for more determined government action against Somali piracy.”
The campaign, launched in March this year, is made up of the largest ever grouping of international seafarers’ organisations, shipping companies and shipping industry associations. It has already received backing from the British, Philippine and Georgian governments and has seen support from 180 countries.
Full information on the campaign and the video can be found at www.saveourseafarers.com
The video can also be viewed by the following direct link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLqwVpPALz0&feature=channel_video_title
ENDS
About SaveOurSeafarers
· SaveOurseafarers was established in March 2011 and is calling for unified action to raise awareness of the human and economic cost of piracy
· A total of 3573 seafarers have been held hostage by armed gangs of Somali pirates at some point between 2005 - 2010
· Piracy costs the global economy up to$12bn a year
· 90% of the world's food, fuel, raw materials and manufactured goods are delivered by sea
· Our campaign has gained support across 180 countries worldwide.
· Supporting organisations include: ASF (Asian Shipowners’ Forum), BIMCO (international shipping association), Britannia (P&I insurance), CEFOR (Nordic Association of Marine Insurers), DNK (Den Norske Krigsforsikring for Skib), GARD (P&I insurance), GSF (Global Shippers’ Forum), IMEC (Int’l Maritime Employers' Committee), ICS/ISF (International Chamber of Shipping/International Shipping Federation) IMB (International Maritime Bureau), IMO (International Maritime Organization), Intercargo (International Assoc’n of Dry Cargo Shipowners), INTERTANKO (Int’l Association of Independent Tanker Owners), InterManager (International Ship Managers’ Association), IG (International Group of P&I Clubs), IPTA (International Parcel Tanker Association), ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation), IUMI (International Union of Marine Insurance), LMA (Lloyd’s Market Association), The London (P&I insurance), North of England (P&I insurance), SIGTTO (Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators), The Standard (P&I insurance), UGS (Union of Greek Shipowners), UK Chamber of Shipping, UK P&I Club (P&I insurance), WISTA UK (Women's International Shipping & Trading Association), WSC (World Shipping Council)
· Interviews with SOS spokespeople and hostages available on request.
For further information, interviews and photography contact:
John Walding
Rachael Richards
0161 927 3131