Stowaways: a real and ongoing risk

Amanda Hastings, of LS3, warns the risk of stowaways can prove expensive for shipowners

Amid the continuing migrant crisis in the Mediterranean and the media attention this story continues to receive, it is often easy to forget the problem of stowaways is still a very real risk for shipowners. Recently clubs have handled several concurrent cases, with a similar modus operandi, concerning stowaways from west Africa boarding ballasted ships bound for South America, and Brazil in particular. The majority of these stowaways are “professionals”, who have perfected their art and are finding more creative ways in which to board ships.