Wednesday 30th September 2015: 10:00 – 16:00 hrs
The Nautical Institute Headquarters, Lambeth, London.
Reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea remain a concern. While international focus on armed violence at sea still tends to concentrate on developments around the Horn of Africa, there is growing acknowledgement that although different in context and characteristics, the challenge posed by piracy and armed robbery in the waters off West Africa is increasingly in need of greater attention and an effective, sustainable response. As part of this process there is a particular responsibility to consider the perspective of seafarers; individuals on whom global shipping and off-shore activities rely and who are often the first to face the negative consequences of piracy and armed robbery. Indeed without seriously considering the experiences and ideas of seafarers and those organisations who represent them, there is a real risk that the vitality and sustainability of the maritime and energy sectors will be undermined, and with it the economic benefits associated with them.