UNIT 2

tage will be gained if the local agent is immediately advised of any circumstances likely to give rise to a complaint or claim. For the sake of good order the Master should write a letter of complaint or make a claim against the Stevedoring Company, which should be signed by the agent as well. The agent should return the attached copy of the letter of complaint or the claim in acknowledgement of its receipt. Close cooperation between the Master and the agent ensures that complaints and claims are given prompt attention as they arise.

It is vital to take strict actions to provide greater cargo security and remove the opportunities for theft.

II.Answer the following questions to the text above:

1.What actions should be taken by the ship's officers to protect the ship from the blame and responsibility for pilferage on board ship?

2.When does a great deal of cargo pilferage occur?

3.Who is responsible for pilferage on board ship?

4.What actions should be done on board ship in cases of cargo pilfering?

5.What steps should the Stevedoring Company take to stop further pilferage?

6.Who is the Master of the ship immediately to advise in cases of pilferage?

7.What kind of claims should the Master make against the Stevedoring Company?

8.Who should sign a letter of complaint or claim?

9.What should the agent do with the attached copy of the letter of complaint or claim?

10.For what purpose should the agent return the attached copy of the letter of complaint or claim to the Master of the ship?

11.Why is it vital to take strict actions to provide greater cargo security?

III. Ask question using the model.

MODEL:The Master of the ship is to make a claim against the Stevedoring Company in the port of Cardiff.

—Who is to make a claim against the Stevedoring Company?

1.The Master of the ship is to inform the Stevedore Foreman on duty about the cargo pilferage on board ship in the port of Hull.

2.The Chief Stevedore is to examine Hold №5.

3.The Master is to hold responsible the Stevedoring Company for the loss of the cargo.

4.The agent is to sign the Master's letter of complaint.

5.The Stevedoring Company is to take strict actions to avoid further pilferage.

IV. Use the following phrases in sentences of your own:

V.Translate into English the following sentences:

1.Капитан судна предъявил претензию стивидорной компании за потерю груза.

2.Стивидорная компания отклонила иск капитана судна, т.к. не было доказано, что грузчики были замечены в краже.

3.Старший стивидор стивидорной компании предпринял строгие меры, чтобы избежать повторных краж.

4.Сейчас на борту судна поддерживается тщательное наблюдение.

5.Капитан судна попросил агента вернуть ему копию иска в подтверждении его получения.

6.В своей рекламации капитан заявил, что судно не будет нести ответственность за любую недостачу груза.

7.Вахтенный офицер доложил капитану о краже, которая произошла в трюме №3.

8.Агент сообщил капитану, что стивидорная компания предпримет все необходимые меры, чтобы прекратить кражи на судне во время выгрузки.

Vl. Read the following claims on pilferage and express your opinion on the subject.

Master’s Claim

Antwerp, 15th June, 2000.

To Stevedoring Company, the Port of Antwerp, Belgium.

Dear sirs,

Please note that yesterday afternoon while inspecting hatches three cases containing tools, stowed in Hold №.4, tween-deck, were found tampered with. On further examination one of the cases was found broken to pieces with the entire contents missing and the other case damaged with part of contents missing.

Though cargo was worked at hatch № 4 on the 14th of June from 14.15 hrs. to 17.30 hrs.on the 15th of June no visible traces of tampering with the said cargo were noticed at the time of covering up hatches on the 15th of June.

However, a passage to Hold No.4 tween-deck had been possible by shifting a few chests of coffee to Hold № 3 tween-deck.

The Stevedore foreman on duty was immediately informed about the case of pilferage on board my ship during discharging and Hold № 4 was inspected in his presence. The hold was also examined by a senior Customs officer and a representative from your office was also verbally informed.

Please note that I hold your Stevedores entirely responsible for this damage and loss of cargo.

Please take necessary action to stop further pilferage and also expedite the discharge of the cargo at your earliest convenience after survey of the said pkgs. A strict watch in Hold № 4 is being maintained.

Yours faithfully,

Master of the m/v «Larak»

VI. Answer the following questions:

1.To whom did the Master of the m/v «Larak» send his business letter?

2.What did the Master of the m/v «Larak» inform the Stevedoring Company about?

3.What happened to the cargo yesterday afternoon?

4.Who was immediately informed about the case of pilferage on board ship during discharging?

5.Was Hold №4 inspected in his presence?

6.Who else examined Hold №4?

7.Who did the Master of the m/v «Larak» hold responsible for this case of pilferage, damage and loss of cargo?

VII. Additional text.

SECURITY AND STOWAWAYS

General Awareness

All seafarers should be warned in advance to be on the lookout for stowaways and generally unauthorized persons entering the vessel with the intention of conducting unlawful acts.

The Master should ensure all additional security precautions are incorporated into his Standing Orders. Before arrival at the port, notices should be posted on all accommodation notice boards reminding seafarers to comply with Standing Orders and reiterating the measures that are to be taken, recording this action in the deck log book. Once berthed, the duty officer should make an entry in the deck logbook at the end of each watch, confirming that all precautions were carried out. The pre-sailing stowaway search and its outcome should be specifically referred to.

It is vital the extra security precautions are well documented in order to mitigate any penalties should a stowaway subsequently be found on board despite the additional measures.

Access to the Vessel

The means of boarding the vessel should be restricted to one access only. If the vessel is idle during the hours of darkness, the accommodation ladder should, if possible, raised well above the quay.

Locking of Spaces

All accommodation doors should be kept locked, apart from one. Internally, accommodation door keys should be left in place to ensure all doors can still be used as emergency exits. All lockers, storerooms and spaces accessible from the deck should be locked or padlocked when not in use, and accesses to holds and hatches similarly secured at the end of the working day when the duty officer has satisfied himself that these spaces are clear.

Keys to all locked compartments should be left in the custody of the duty officer.

On board Security

It is recommended that two men monitor the decks and the gangway at all times, possibly the duty watchman and the duty officer. If such arrangement places are impossible burden on the ship's crew, serious consideration should be given to employ local watchmen for the duration of the call, particularly if the vessel is in a high risk / dangerous port.

One man should be permanently stationed by the gangway, the other periodically patrolling the decks. Both should carry walkie-talkies to communicate with each other.

Stowaways have often climbed up mooring lines. In ports with a high quay or a large tidal range, it may sometimes be possible for stowaways to simply step aboard the vessel from the shore almost anywhere along the ship's side. Watchmen should be fully alert at all times.