> CyClaDes:

One of three projects to receive 3M from the EU P 33

> Germanischer Lloyd:

Looking into why human error causes most onboard accidents P 33

regulation
Hostage survival is one critical area that training regulations have yet to reach, reports Girija Shettar
Although it is reported that more than 100,000 seafarers are at risk of piracy at any one time, there is as yet no regulation that makes training in hostage survival mandatory. However, one new training company plans to o er dedicated courses to ll this gap. In February 2013, Opus Kidnap and Hostage Solutions will launch hostage survival courses for seafarers. This is the brainchild of two experts in the eld: Mike Drayton, a consultant clinical psychologist and psychology trauma expert who advises Hostage UK; and hostage survivor turned maritime consultant and lecturer Jurica Ruic. Opus Kidnap and Hostage Solutions plans to launch its survival courses in the Middle East, where, along with Japan, demand for such training is strongest. I do think hostage survival training should be mandatory, Drayton told Fairplay. At the

> Setting the ground rules for our industry > For more visit www.fairplay.co.uk

Regulating the pirate mind

moment, maritime authorities and shipping companies protect physical wellbeing by using armed guards [and other means]. But if these measures fail theres nothing to protect seafarers mental health. Former hostages all say the psychological anguish and trauma far outweigh physical trauma and deprivations, he said. The courses, which have been in development since 2004 and are to be presented by Drayton and Ruic, cover survival tactics for both West and East African pirate hostage situations, and should help reduce post-traumatic stress. Themes include minimising pirate aggression; behaviours and ways of thinking for physical and mental survival; awareness of how hostages react; and how to maintain strength and dignity in a hostage situation. Understanding the pirate mind is a key part of the training. We will talk a lot about the importance of having a basic understanding of the culture of di erent pirate groups to help the seafarer survive, explained Drayton. If youre being held by Nigerian pirates, it is usually best to keep your head down and try not to engage too much with them. This also applies to Somali pirates, but seeing the strong family tradition in Somali culture, we advise that if you get an opportunity, try to engage and tell them about your large family, even if you dont have one. This helps the pirate to identify with you, see you as a human being, not just a commodity, and could make your life easier or even save it in a crisis. I would not advise this technique with most Nigerian pirates; it is likely to provoke them, which is something you really dont want to do, Drayton told Fairplay. Drayton warned that West African piracy is very active ashore and at sea and boasts

I do think hostage survival training should be mandatory Mike Drayton

32 Fairplay 22 November 2012

several militant and pirate groups, headlined by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and the Nigerian Freedom Fighters (NFF). I would single out MEND as the major, most dangerous, and most organised group, he said. It was MEND that held Ruic and his fellow crewmembers in a jungle for 33 days in 2007. As the tankers o cer of the watch, Ruic was on board a oating storage and o take vessel when the militants struck. They were ex-Nigerian army soldiers, heavily armed with rocket launchers, AK47s, C4 dynamite, and guns. He described his captors as delusional (they thought they were bullet proof), violent (they killed two of their own gang in front of the hostages), and abusive (constant death threats). Ruic explained that his brain locked in to survival mode, where he could not remember what his wife and children looked like or simple songs. Ruics employer allegedly ignored four credible threats conveyed by local people working on board and o ered poor aftercare: questioning by private investigators was followed by an immediate cessation of wages when psychiatrists declared him unt for onboard work a decision that was reversed when Ruic threatened to talk to the US media.

Opus Kidnap and Hostage Solutions