International Bargaining Forum declares piracy high risk area in West African waters
News Release
International Transport Federation (ITF)
March 24, 2012
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<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%" class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-SIZE: 16pt" lang=EN-US>International Bargaining
Forum declares piracy high risk area in West African waters</SPAN></B></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US></SPAN> </P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US>The IBF
(International Bargaining Forum) is declaring a high risk area for the
territorial waters of Benin and Nigeria, following the increasing number
ofattacks on vessels and kidnap of crews there. The designation will come into
effect on 1st April 2012 in order to allow ship operators to make any necessary
preparations. It will afford the same benefits and protections to seafarers in
those areas as the High Risk Area in the Gulf of Aden and around Somalia,
including: the need for enhanced security measures; advance notice of intent to
enter the area; the right to refuse to enter it; and a doubling of the daily
basic wage and of death and disability compensation while within the area of
risk.</SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US></SPAN> </P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US>The High Risk Area
provisions apply to all ships operated under an IBF agreement. The ITF’s Fair
Practices Committee Steering Group will decide on whether to also apply them to
all ships under non-IBF ITF agreements. IBF agreements on high risk areas also
provide an indicator of good practice to national flag registers. The provisions
are set out in full below.</SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US></SPAN> </P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US>The IBF provides a
forum for discussion between the International Transport Workers’ Federation
(ITF) and its member unions, and the maritime employers in the Joint Negotiating
Group (JNG). For more details please see <A
href="redir.aspx?C=25dc4b4008044d8fa39fa97e6dcdf88a&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.imec.org.uk%2findex.php%3foption%3dcom_k2%26view%3ditem%26layout%3ditem%26id%3d51%26Itemid%3d57"
target=_blank>www.imec.org.uk/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=51&Itemid=57</A>
or <A
href="redir.aspx?C=25dc4b4008044d8fa39fa97e6dcdf88a&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.itfseafarers.org%2fabout-IBF.cfm"
target=_blank>www.itfseafarers.org/about-IBF.cfm</A>.
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<HTML><HEAD><TITLE></TITLE>
<META content="text/html; charset=unicode" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.19190"></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%" class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%; FONT-SIZE: 16pt" lang=EN-US>International Bargaining
Forum declares piracy high risk area in West African waters</SPAN></B></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US></SPAN> </P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US>The IBF
(International Bargaining Forum) is declaring a high risk area for the
territorial waters of Benin and Nigeria, following the increasing number
ofattacks on vessels and kidnap of crews there. The designation will come into
effect on 1st April 2012 in order to allow ship operators to make any necessary
preparations. It will afford the same benefits and protections to seafarers in
those areas as the High Risk Area in the Gulf of Aden and around Somalia,
including: the need for enhanced security measures; advance notice of intent to
enter the area; the right to refuse to enter it; and a doubling of the daily
basic wage and of death and disability compensation while within the area of
risk.</SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US></SPAN> </P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US>The High Risk Area
provisions apply to all ships operated under an IBF agreement. The ITF’s Fair
Practices Committee Steering Group will decide on whether to also apply them to
all ships under non-IBF ITF agreements. IBF agreements on high risk areas also
provide an indicator of good practice to national flag registers. The provisions
are set out in full below.</SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US></SPAN> </P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: 150%" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-US>The IBF provides a
forum for discussion between the International Transport Workers’ Federation
(ITF) and its member unions, and the maritime employers in the Joint Negotiating
Group (JNG). For more details please see <A
href="redir.aspx?C=25dc4b4008044d8fa39fa97e6dcdf88a&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.imec.org.uk%2findex.php%3foption%3dcom_k2%26view%3ditem%26layout%3ditem%26id%3d51%26Itemid%3d57"
target=_blank>www.imec.org.uk/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=51&Itemid=57</A>
or <A
href="redir.aspx?C=25dc4b4008044d8fa39fa97e6dcdf88a&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.itfseafarers.org%2fabout-IBF.cfm"
target=_blank>www.itfseafarers.org/about-IBF.cfm</A>.
</SPAN></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>