Piracy petition - support gathers momentum

News Release INTERTANKO London June 24, 2010

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<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
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Day="24" Month="6">24 June 2010</st1:date><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
Four new organisations have announced their support for <A
href="http://www.endpiracypetition.org/">www.endpiracypetition.org</A>, the
global e-petition that demands concrete action to end piracy.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
The
<st1:stockticker w:st="on">ASF</st1:stockticker> (Asian Shipowners’ Forum), ECSA
(European Community Shipowners' Associations), the ICMA (International Christian
Maritime Association) and ICSW (International Committee for Seafarers’ Welfare),
are now also promoting the initiative to their members and
beyond.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
So
far over 53,000 people have signed the petition, which will be used to put
pressure on national governments to tackle piracy, and which is intended to
attract half a million signatures by <st1:stockticker
w:st="on">IMO</st1:stockticker> World Maritime Day, September 23rd.
<o:p></o:p>
The
petition is a joint campaign by BIMCO, ICS, IFSMA, IMEC, IPTA, Intercargo,
InterManager, International Group of P&I Clubs, INTERTANKO, ISF, ITF, IUMI
and SIGTTO as well as national shipowners’ associations and trade unions
worldwide<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
The
text of the petition is:<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Enough is enough!
Governments must act now to fight piracy<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Almost every day seafarers are being kidnapped and exposed to an
increasing risk of injury or even death<o:p></o:p>
 <o:p></o:p>
Every day seafarers transport the world’s goods through areas where
the risk of pirate attack is increasing<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Every day seafarers’ families are suffering worry and
uncertainty<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Every day the chances of attracting people to jobs at sea - on which
all our economies rely - are shrinking<o:p></o:p>
 <o:p></o:p>
Every day shipping companies and their insurers have to pay for
increasing anti-piracy measures, extra fuel and ransoms - costs that are
eventually passed on to the consumer<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Every day the risk of a major ecological disaster due to an oil spill
caused by piracy increases<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Every day the chances of a recovery in the world economy are being
jeopardised by this threat to world trade<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
We,
the undersigned, urgently call on Governments to do everything possible to
protect the thousands of seafarers and the hundreds of ships at risk of attack
by pirates by:<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
•
dedicating significant resources and concerted efforts to find real solutions to
the growing piracy problem;<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
•
taking immediate steps to secure the release and safe return of kidnapped
seafarers to their families;<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
•
working within the international community to secure a stable and peaceful
future for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Somalia</st1:place></st1:country-region> and its
people.<o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
<o:p></o:p> 
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