ASIAN SHIPOWNERS’ FORUM
10 Anson Road
#16-18, International Plaza,Singapore 079903
Tel: (65) 6325 4737 Fax: (65) 6325 4451
General Email: information@asf.com.sg
Website: www.asianshipowners.org________________________________________________________
22 May 2012
Port Douglas, Australia

PRESS RELEASE
Asian shipowners urge UN and governments to continue taking
urgent and effective measures against Somali piracy.

Participants of the 21st ASF demonstrate their support for the SaveOurSeafarers (SOS) Campaign

Without a doubt, piracy remained top of the agenda at the 21st Asian
Shipowners’ Forum (ASF) which concluded its annual meeting in PortDouglas, Australia today.
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Over the past 7 years, more than 62 seafarers have been murdered andmore than 3,000 have been held hostage from the almost 200 ships
hijacked by Somali pirates off the coast of Somalia, Gulf of Aden and thewider Indian Ocean. Piracy has cost the global economy an estimated
USD 5 to 7 billion in 20111, including protective measures to safeguard
ships and crew, increased insurance costs, as well as the millions ofdollars in ransom money.
The ASF appreciates that on 23 March 2012, the European Council
permitted their Naval Forces to take disruptive action against known
pirate supplies on the Somalia shore. Mr Noel Hart, Chairman of the
21st ASF said, “The operations carried out by EU Naval Forces on 15
May 2012 to disrupt pirate supplies and bases on the Somali shoreline iswelcome and has sent a clear signal that piracy cannot be tolerated.
Blatant attacks on innocent ships and seafarers must be stopped! The
ASF urges continuing and stronger political will to address the root
causes of piracy – on land in Somalia.”
Mr Patrick Phoon, Chairman of the Safe Navigation and Environment
Committee said, “We are very grateful that the combined naval forces
are keeping a vigilant eye in this area. Given the great expanse ofcoverage, it is no small task to safeguard these waters from Somali
pirates. The ASF is developing a Counter Piracy Proposal in responseto the continuing threat of Somali piracy, the details of which will bepresented to Working Group 1 of the Contact Group for Piracy off theCoast of Somalia (CGPCS).”The Seafarers Committee of the ASF once again expressed its strong
concern at the trauma, agony, suffering and lasting psychological andphysical effects on seafarers and their families due to pirate attacks. Thelong period of captivity when being held as hostages is a nightmare.
Mr Li Shanmin, the Chairman of the Seafarers Committee, said “Thesituation continues to be a serious crisis, one that deeply affects themental health of seafarers and their families. The threat cannot beforgotten and we demand that all possible action is taken to alleviate thesituation." The ASF remains deeply concerned for the well-being of the197 seafarers currently being held hostage on hijacked ships2, as well as
7 Indian seafarers who continued to be held hostage despite payment ofransom3.
Mr Yusumi Kudo, Chairman of the Shipping Economics Review
Committee, emphasised that "Amid the unprecedented challenges
Page 2 of 4affecting the world economy, including the shipping industry, world trade
is seriously threatened by piracy. The global community cannot ignore
this serious problem. Shipowners continue to absorb a large portion of
the additional cost and this burden must be shared collectively by all
stakeholders. The situation is especially exacerbated in container trades
due to soaring bunker prices, in that each shipping company must
consider whether to operate vessels with armed personnel on board or at
an increased speed.”
Turning his focus to other regions, Mr Phoon expressed concern that thenumber of piracy and armed robbery attacks reported worldwide in 2011
continued to remain high at 439 incidents4. The ASF is alarmed by theincreased magnitude of piracy in West African waters off Benin andNigeria, and urges the United Nations to take immediate and urgent
action to address this problem.
The ASF is supportive of the Hong Kong Ship International Convention
for the Safe and Environmentally-Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009.
Mr Bronson Hsieh, Chairman of the ASF Ship Recycling Committee
said "The Hong Kong Convention is an important step towards
developing a truly sustainable industry. The Hong Kong Convention,
when it enters into force, would bring improvements to ship recycling inboth safety and quality. We urge the IMO member States to ratify, andthe world shipping industry to support, the Convention."
ASF is also concerned about the recent toll increases for use of both theSuez and Panama canals amidst a stagnant shipping market. TheForum considers that it is very hard to accept any toll increases
implemented without close and interactive dialogue with the shipping
industry, in view of the canals’ public nature as social infrastructure andthe important role they play in the global supply chain.
The Forum noted the European Council sanctions against Iran, ascontained in EU law Regulation 267/2012 dated 23 March 2012, and theprohibition under those sanctions of International Group P&I Cover forships carrying Iranian crude oil, petroleum or petrochemical products, orfor ships, perhaps inadvertently, carrying Iranian origin bunker fuel in
their bunker tanks. Mr Robert A Ho, the acting Chairman of the Ship
Insurance and Liability Committee said "The clearly unintended effect ofthese sanctions could be disastrous. The P&I Clubs of the International
Group provide very high limits and breadth and scope of liability
insurance, the primary purpose of which is to protect innocent third party
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victims of maritime incidents, and has little, if any, benefit for the targetsof the sanctions." The Forum calls upon the European Council toreassess this aspect of the sanctions, and to make permanent thetemporary exemption for liability insurance and reinsurance.
Mr S Hajara, President of Indian National Shipowners’ Association, waselected as the Chairman of the 22nd ASF. Mr Akimitsu Ashida,President of Japanese Shipowners’ Association, was elected as theVice-Chairman of the 22nd ASF.

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The Economic Cost of Somali Piracy 2011, Oceans Beyond Piracy
IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, figures updated on 18 May 2012
Directorate General of Shipping, India
Report on Piracy & Armed Robbery against ships 2011, IMB********_______________________________________________________________________________For media enquiries, kindly contact:
Elvin Tan
Executive Officer
Asian Shipowners’ Forum (ASF)
TelEmailWebsite:::(+65) 6325 4737
elvintan@asf.com.sg
www.asianshipowners.org

The Asian Shipowners’ Forum (ASF) is a voluntary organisation of the shipowners’ associations ofAustralia, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea and the Federation of ASEAN
Shipowners’ Associations comprising shipping associations of ASEAN countries.
The aim of the ASF is to promote the interests of the Asian shipowning industries.
It has been estimated that ASF owners and managers control and operate nearly 50% of the world's
cargo carrying fleet.

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