Capt. Harshvardhan Kumar, Executive Marine Surveyor and Loss Adjuster (Nautical, Hull, and Cargo), Charles Taylor, explains the threat From time immemorial, humanity has been in a state of migration, with people and cultures moving across continents, enriching the lands they arrive in with their flavour. However, when this migration happens with smaller organisms, it may lead to unwelcome situations. When micro-organisms migrate from their natural habitat to a new location, it gives rise to an imbalance in the new ecosystem, and this can wipe out entire habitats or species. With ships getting larger by the year, the volume of ballast water transported is also increasing. This ballast water is taken in at the port of discharge and pumped out at the loading port, thereby transferring marine species from one place to another. To minimize these effects, the IMO has implemented numerous regulations and guidelines on how vessels are required to manage ballast water. However, the problem of marine growth adhering to the vessels’ hulls remains. Tiny organisms stuck to the vessels’ hulls are also responsible for introducing unwanted species with the same effects, creating similar associated ecological imbalance and economic losses.

Recognising this, the International Maritime Organization introduced in 2011, the Guidelines for the Control and Management of Ships’ Biofouling to minimise the transfer of invasive aquatic species (the Biofouling Guidelines). New Zealand and Australia have taken steps to introduce measures to control the introduction of such unwanted species into their waters in line with these guidelines. Australian biofouling management requirements as per the Biosecurity Act 2015 are available in version 2 of the publication of this name by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry issued on 1 December 2023. This has led to an unexpected situation where the vessels are being targeted by criminal minds. A vessel heading for a port that presents a lucrative drug market is targeted and used as a conduit for smuggling that takes place using either the cargo or the ship itself.

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"Only reliable and vetted diving companies should be employed to carry out underwater inspections and cleaning."

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There is another method, called “parasite smuggling”, whereby drugs are attached to a vessel’s hull by divers, in any of the numerous cavities underwater at one port, and retrieved at the other end, also by divers. This could be done when the divers are carrying out their inspection as requested by the managers to comply with hull biofouling requirements, or subsequently based on the information obtained. Modern techniques such as using diving rebreathers are being utilised giving rise to low noise levels, extended gas endurance, and lack of bubbles visible on the surface masking the tell-tale signs of divers. Keeping a close watch on the vessel’s surroundings while in high-risk ports only has a limited effect as the divers attaching the packages go undetected for no lack of vigilance by the vessel. The returns are so lucrative that it is believed that the same diver who places the package in the ship’s cavities at the port of origin, later flies to the other end of the world where the vessel calls and extracts the package. Monitoring vessels through vessel tracking applications that are freely available, makes the vessels more susceptible to such targeting. There is also the added problem: that any vessel that has carried out underwater cleaning is less likely to be inspected in Australia and New Zealand as the authorities would accept the cleaning records provided to not inspect the vessel. There is a recent increase in seizures and incidents in Australia where consignments with street values running into millions are found in the hull cavities of vessels. There have been a few deaths reported where the diver recovering the concealed package died due to faulty diving equipment. Sealed packages of drugs routinely keep washing ashore on the beaches. As global drug syndicates become aware of the requirement for underwater inspection, more and more ships may be targeted. and shipowners and managers need to be ever more vigilant in this regard.

Only reliable and vetted diving companies should be employed to carry out underwater inspections and cleaning. The vessel’s schedule makes it difficult to appoint reliable diving companies as underwater inspection and cleaning would need to be carried out anywhere, whether convenient or not. Many countries already provide for a pre-departure underwater inspection of the hull with the video recording being given to the master as evidence of having a clean hull. Utilising such options before departing from high-risk ports could go a long way in discouraging such targeting of innocent vessels. Managers and owners must consult with their P&I clubs for up-to-date information and guidance when their vessel visits high-risk areas.

By JULIAN BERRY 13th JULY 2024