ISPS - Intense Stowaway Prevention Security ISPS

The stowaway problem the shipping industry faces

Due to the ever increasing conflicts in the world and the hardships that people have to endure in their countries of origin, the shipping Industry is more vulnerable to stowaways or unauthorized persons choosing a vessel as their mode of transport to escape their desperate circumstances. 

Even with increased security measures in place at harbours potential stowaways make use of observation and are able to choose their vessel after establishing how to gain entry into the harbour area without being detected. 

In our experience of detecting stowaways and in most cases, it has been as simple as walking past the gangway security and then finding a hiding place on the vessel. 

Many Masters or shipping companies that have declined a stowaway search service after being advised by shipping agents of the risk of stowaways  at ports have regretted this as after a couple of days at sea, their uninvited guests are revealed. 

A thorough, effective stowaway search by a competent search team is the only way of ensuring that there are no unauthorized persons on board before departure. A stowaway search should also be considered as a Safety Net, (if a person was able to evade all other security measures in place).  

In almost all cases, the expense of an effective stowaway search will outweigh the expenses of:

• the inconvenience
• fines
• delays
• diversion
• fuel costs
• port fees, etc. ....and a person’s life could be saved in the process. 

Keeping in mind, a stowaway is an opportunist, if the opportunity exists, he will surely make use of it.  All vessels are vulnerable to this, and in most cases, stowaways that we have interviewed, did not know the destination of the vessel that they were on.