BIMCO Launches New Contract for Employment of Security Escort Vessels

Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea remains a big problem, however local laws and enforcement practices make it difficult for vessels to call at ports in the region with foreign armed guards onboard, and some countries prohibit local armed guards from boarding foreign commercial vessels.

As such, a practice has developed for foreign vessels calling at these ports to arrange, through the agency of private maritime security companies (PMSC), for SEVs with local naval armed guards and the PMSC’s liaison officer onboard, to accompany the vessels during the vessels’ calls to this region.

In the absence of a standard contract for the hiring of the SEVs’ services, BIMCO announced in February this year that it would be developing such a standard form. The Club is pleased to inform Members that Bimco’s Documentary Committee has now finalised the standard form contract which will be available for use from January.

For further information on this announcement, Members should get in touch with their usual Club contact.