GROWING complacency in terms of maritime security could ultimately result in loss of life warns chief operating officer Gerry Northwood of UK maritime security firm, MAST.
MAST: Don't be complacent in protecting assets, crew from piracyGROWING complacency in terms of maritime security could ultimately result in loss of life warns chief operating officer Gerry Northwood of UK maritime security firm, MAST.
Speaking at the Global Shipping Trends and Trade Patterns conference in London, Mr Northwood said: "The problem is that incidents of piracy are not infrequent, and I often see the under reporting and misreporting of incidents."
Many companies seemed to be pairing back on the quality and substance of their security provision, or simply closing their eyes to the problem and playing the odds, a company statement said.
"This comes at a time when there has never been so much knowledge and resource available to deal effectively with the threats facing seafarers. Enormous strides have been made since piracy became a big issue in the Indian Ocean in 2008," said Mr Northwood.
"Cooperation between international bodies, governments and the shipping industry has had a positive impact in the main piracy hot spots of West Africa, Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean.
"However, with many recent incidents of piracy in southeast Asia, the Gulf of Guinea, the Caribbean, and continued attempts in the Indian Ocean, combined with increased people trafficking out of Libya, and between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, we need to be watchful for other forms of opportunist criminality and terrorism occurring on the back of these activities."