TUG BOATS AND BARGES (TAB) GUIDE AGAINST PIRACY AND SEA ROBBERY

The main objective of the authors of the present guide released by the world respected RECAAP organization was to give readers some professional guidance and practical tips, as well as the necessary contact details and established procedures for reporting.

The document will be of particular interest to the owners of the barges and tug boats, as well as to the ship operators and crew members on board, who will apply the information when working on the avoidance the hijacking and robbery. When preparing for the intended voyage, all of that shall be taken into consideration, as necessary.

The document will share the experience and inputs of all those industry professionals who had contributed, including the Masters and managers of the ships. Due to their characteristics and also the activities, the barges and tugs are considered highly vulnerable to the issues mentioned above, so the additional precautions shall be taken.

First of all, the publication describes the types of shipboard incidents and areas where such incidents are expected, and then proceeding to the risk assessment and the associated reporting procedures. The communication equipment has been addressed together with the physical protection, passage planning etc.