The problem of stowaways is growing worldwide but, unlike the higher-profile media image of piracy, largely goes unreported, says Paul Singer, vice president marketing and technical support at Securewest International.

The flow of this type of human traffic will continue as long as issues such as starvation, disease and death prompt desperate people to take risks, he says. “It is how you stem the tide that should be the immediate concern – a problem that has come to rest increasingly and uneasily upon the shoulders of the maritime industry.

“According to the International Federation of Freight Forwarders, there have been over 100 maritime security initiatives introduced in the past four years alone, with many in the industry fearing that US-led schemes such as 10+2 and CSI will seriously delay the movement of containers.

“All of this increases the load for those who work at the sharp end of the sector – something that has been reflected in recent times by ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation) surveys in which the majority of maritime workers questioned felt overwhelmed by the additional tasks associated with legitimate attempts to tighten security on vessels and in port.”

Such a lack of enthusiasm does not bode well for a system of comprehensive security against intruders in ports around the world, especially at a time when the security of facilities is coming under increased scrutiny, he says.

The US Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) report of 2007 criticised the disparate levels of security throughout the global port system supply chain.

“Stowaways have to get into containers and vessels somehow and the more desperate they are, the more risk they will take,” says Mr Singer. “The GAO’s investigators visited a range of foreign ports, with some deploying cameras, fences, guards and identification checks, while others rarely made thorough checks and there were holes in the perimeter fence.”

Failure to reach minimum levels of security can mean the continuation of problems associated with stowaways, he warns – but says it is often a matter of “not creating unnecessary work for yourself.

“We often see examples of all available crew being tasked incorrectly whilst in port, conducting searches inside the vessel concerned rather than watching the sea, or managing checks during daylight hours but not at night, a time when stowaways are more likely to board a vessel.”

Mr Singer says ports have often over-specified security in the wrong places and often it is the simple preventative measures that need to be considered – such as proper and thorough access control at all times, decent lighting, and encouraging the lifting of ramps and access gangways at night.

When controlling stevedores, a rigid system should be put in place to create effective security – methods of ID should be considered, with numbered tabards or vests issued every shift, returned post-shift and thoroughly checked back in.