Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Program (MPHRP) South Asia organized three Seafarers Pre-Departure Piracy Awareness Train the Trainers sessions in India between October 16-23, 2013. The training was delivered by Toon van de Sande (MPHRP), Cyrus Mody (IMB) and Chirag Bahri (MPHRP), held in at the Seafarers Club, Chennai on 16-17 Oct, AEMTC Mumbai on 19-20 Oct and at Hotel Mantra Amaltas, New Delhi on October 22-23.
Participants from maritime training institutes and other training consultants attended the two-day MPHRP sessions. A total of 61 trainers were trained and briefed on an overview of armed robbery and piracy, BMP procedures, best practices to defend a piracy attack, coping in hostage situations, the release process and seafarers’ families. MPHRP had earlier trained 58 maritime trainers during three training sessions held in Pune, Mumbai and Chennai between April 22-27, 2013.
This brings the total number of MPHRP trained Trainers to 119 in India. The trainers appreciated this initiative and said, “We will be able to raise the awareness of seafarers to prepare themselves and their families for an unlikely event of piracy. Although the risk of becoming affected by piracy is very small, the fear of piracy by seafarers and their families is great. Being aware and prepared will add quality to the seafarer’s life.”
Chirag Bahri, MPHRP Regional Director South Asia, while thanking the DG Shipping India for accepting the recommendations of MPHRP India training advisory committee to extend the 1.5 days STSDSD course to two days based on the elements from this course, said “We are highly obliged to all our regional partners and committee members for their valuable guidance and support.” He further added that this comprehensive piracy awareness training will immensely help the trainers who are delivering Security courses to Seafarers in India to prepare them for piracy awareness and respond to crisis situations.
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