Petition against piracy

920,000 sign petition calling on governments to end piracy.

London: An action group representing stakeholders from the entire shipping industry, from crews to owners,presented a petition signed by nearly a million (920,000) people to the IMO and governments worldwide calling for real action to end Somali piracy.

The handover was made on  UN-designated World Maritime Day

The anti-piracy campaign underthe slogan 'Enough is enough' is led by BIMCO, ICS, IFSMA, IMEC, IPTA, Intercargo, InterManager, International Group of P&I Clubs, INTERTANKO, ISF, ITF, IUMI and SIGTTO, and is being actively supported by national shipowners' associations and trade unions worldwide and by the ASF, ECSA, ICMA and ICSW.  

At a time when 354 seafarers and 16 ships are being held hostage by pirates in Somalia, the campaign calls on governments to:

• Dedicate significant resources and work to find real solutions to the growing piracy problem
• Take immediate steps to secure the release and safe return of kidnapped seafarers to their families
• Work within the international community to secure a stable and peaceful future for Somalia and its people.

Meanwhile in Australia the Maritime Union is commemorating World Maritime Day with a ceremony at the National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour Sydney on Tuesday 28.

"Piracy is not just confined to Somalia, " said MUA National Secretary and ITF President Paddy Crumlin,  "We have a real problem right here on our doorstep.

"In recent months we have seen a spate of attacks on shipping in the Asia Pacific which marks the unfortunate return of piracy in our region.

This Maritime Day, the union is also commemorating the 65th anniversary of union bans in support of Indonesian independence.