press release - NI HKG

A rather unique conference, which has been organized by the Hong Kong Branch of the Nautical Institute,  and is co-sponsored by the Hong Kong Ship Owners’ Association, is to be held on Friday, 13th November,  at the Mariners’ Club in Tsim Sha Tsui.

The Nautical Institute is a multinational organization headquartered in London, England, whose members are mainly master mariners and senior maritime personnel, some of whom are still serving at sea while others are working ashore in various sectors of the maritime industry.  Its Hong Kong Branch is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary and its membership includes shipmasters, harbour pilots,  government marine administrators,  maritime lawyers, marine insurance personnel, executives of ship owning and ship management companies, marine surveyors, consultants and specialists in other maritime services.

The Institute is dedicated to enhancing the art and science of seafaring and improving maritime safety, by supporting maritime education, encouraging professionalism, issuing publications and holding meetings, seminars and conferences.    

The aim of the present conference, the “Hong Kong International Piracy Conference 2009  is to provide a forum for military officers involved in the fight against piracy in the NW Indian Ocean and elsewhere in the world, to discuss anti-piracy operations with members of the maritime community

The conference came about when some of the naval organizations charged with protecting merchant shipping in pirate-threatened areas of the world found they were experiencing difficulties communicating with their civilian counterparts in the shipping industry.  The idea was suggested of holding a joint conference where there could be a frank exchange of views between both sides.  This came to the attention of one of the committee members of the Hong Kong branch of the Nautical Institute, who was attending some naval meetings in his capacity as a senior officer in his country’s naval reserve. It was he who suggested to his naval colleagues that the conference should be held in Hong Kong, from where a large proportion of the world’s merchant fleet is controlled.

Presentations at the conference will include an opening address by Hong Kong’s Director of Marine,  and keynote addresses by the deputy director of the Naval Bureau, Operations Dept. of the PLA Navy General Staff HQ, Senior Captain Hu Gangfeng, and the Commander of the Combined Maritime Forces carrying out anti-piracy operations in the Middle East, Commodore Timothy Lowe.

This will be followed by addresses by the Deputy Commander of the PLA Navy’s Southern Fleet, and the head of the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) covering the military aspects of the war on piracy.  There will then be addresses by a Hong Kong Police Superintendent working with the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) on the law-enforcement aspects of anti-piracy work, an address by the Chaplain of the Dubai Seamen’s Mission on the human aspects, an address by an expert on maritime security training, and addresses by experts on General Average, Maritime Law and Maritime Protection and Indemnity Insurance.   Finally, there will be a panel discussion where both the military and the civilian speakers will answer questions from the audience.  This should provide much food for thought to both the military and the civilian sides, and give each an insight into how their counterparts are thinking.

It is hoped that the Hong Kong conference will play a useful role in coordinating policy on the control of piracy, and play a useful role in making the seas safer for merchant shipping and for seamen of all nationalities.

現時全球海盜猖獗，對從事航運業的人士構成嚴重威脅。海盜肆虐，不僅威脅海員的生命和船隻及貨物安全，亦打擊各國經濟發展。業界必須加強溝通，立即採取措施遏止。為達到以上目的，本分會將於2009年11月13日（星期五），於香港海員俱樂部（地址：九龍尖沙咀中間道十一號）舉辦“香港國際關注海盜問題大會2009”（THE HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL PIRACY CONFERENCE 2009）。

英國航海學會屬下有四十個分會，是由獲認可資歷的海員及業內對海事有興趣人士所組成的專業團體，會員來自全球超過110個國家，有七千多名會員。香港分會的會員來自航運界各範疇，當中有船舶營運經理、海事律師、海事保險專家、海事處官員、領港員、驗船師，以及海事顧問等。

本分會成立己二＋五年，目的是匯聚業內最專業的知識，致力提高海事營運的水平，以保持本會在香港海事專業知識範疇的翹楚和領導地位。我們並向香港區會員提供各種服務，致力提昇他們的專業知識和地位。如有興趣請參觀我們的網頁：(www.nautinsthk.com)

大會除了邀請航運界人士擔任主講者，講述海盜問題對經濟貿易造成的影響外。我們還邀請了中國、英國及歐盟維和部隧海軍的代表擔任主講嘉賓，中方代表名单：胡钢锋  海军大校  总参谋部作战部海军作战局副局长及梁炜   海军中  海军南海舰队作战处副处长。中華人民共和國解放軍派遣護航艦隊和海軍到海盜出沒地區護航，對保障中國及亞歐運輸航線，以至香港和台灣船隻，擔當了十分重要的角色。

大會將於演講環節後，安排公開論壇，讓所有主講嘉賓，包括非軍方人士和軍方人士，與參加大會的人士進行交流及直接進行討論，為來自商界及軍方而同樣從事打擊海盜工作的人士，搭建一個獨特的對話平台。

我們希望透過軍方及商界人仕在會議上增加溝通以減少海盜問題對經濟貿易造成的影響以及海員海上安全所受的威脅。如各下有任何疑問請與本人Capt. Marso Law聯絡，手電：9427 8428 或 Capt. Robert Herman (9683 2745)。