99039 Problems with Stowaways

Problems with Stowaways
Report No. 99039

Recently, whilst on passage from Agadir to Barcelona, my crew discovered three stowaways hidden in the void spaces in the engine room. As the vessel had also previously called at Casablanca, I was not surprised to learn that they had boarded there. The situation there is very bad as vessels in the port are sometimes stormed by ten, twenty or even thirty men. Most are young and they are sometimes aggressive. The Authorities do not seem particularly interested and watchmen on the gangway are not effective. The stowaways can approach the vessel in all sorts of ways; being brought in small boats, swimming or in the containers themselves. As my vessel is a container carrier she has a low freeboard which makes it even easier for them. A good search is always made but they can even get aboard at night whilst the vessel is in the process of departing.

Spain and Italy do not allow stowaways to be landed, especially as they know that the vessel will be returning to Morocco. They insist that we keep them on board. The rules prescribe that stowaways must be looked after on board, they are more concerned with the welfare of the stowaways than the trouble which they cause to the vessel.

My ship is a modern container feeder vessel and does not have any spare accommodation. They must be prevented from escaping in intermediate ports so the only place that I could think of to keep them secure was in the emergency generator room as this had only one door which could not be opened from the inside. Whilst in Spain they tried to commit sabotage to the machinery so I was forced to empty the paint locker and get the Spanish police to escort them there as I was told it was inhuman to handcuff them. They were asked by the police if we fed them well.

In Italy I was not allowed to keep them in the emergency generator room, as we had no spare cabin I was forced to keep them in the accommodation spaces under the guard of two armed men. If the stowaways jump ship, the ship gets fined. In Italy the stowaways attacked the guard and jumped ship. They were arrested by the Police and brought back on board, in this case no fine was given. They tried to set fire to the ship and then refused to eat for several days.

On return to Casablanca, they were taken away by the Police. My lesson is that when stowaways are found on board, one should be very careful not to harm them. One should treat them well and if possible give them a cabin in order to avoid trouble when visiting other countries. After these experiences, it is not difficult to understand that sometimes stowaways "disappear" from a ship. This is of course not the way but the rules make it very difficult for those on the ship when confronted with stowaways.