The UK P&I Club has recommended shipowners consider retrofitting bars across rudder tanks in order to deter stowaways from boarding vessels.
The warning comes amid the escalation of the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean, which could bring significant costs to owners.
Amanda Hastings, UK P&I claims executive, said: “In addition to conducting thorough stowaway searches in accordance with the ship’s ISPS Code-compliant security plan, and being vigilant whilst in port, additional precautions may need to be taken due to ship design.”
She said that when a stowaway is discovered, the owners, port agents and the UK Club should be informed.
“Shipowners should also be aware of the potential costs of disembarking stowaways. For example in Brazil, a straightforward repatriation can cost upwards of $30,000 per stowaway,” said Hastings.
The Club added that costs for shipowners can also be incurred, depending on the jurisdiction, through immigration fines, medical testing, police escorts, cost of travel documents, detention costs and repatriation expenses such as flights and additional clothes.
Hastings said: “Stowaways can often result in unexpected expenses for shipowners and the issue is unlikely to go away.
“As ship security improves, stowaways will find more creative ways of boarding ships.
“If a stowaway is discovered once the ship has left port, dependent on location, shipowners may find it more cost effective to return to port and disembark the stowaway there, rather than risk higher costs in other jurisdictions, such as Brazil.”
