5.5 State of embarkation
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Resolutions - Maritime Safety Committee - Resolution MSC.312(88) – Revised Guidelines on the Prevention of Access by Stowaways and the Allocation of Responsibilities to Seek the Successful Resolution of Stowaway Cases – (Adopted on 2 December 2010) - Annex – Revised Guidelines on the Prevention of Stowaway Incidents and the Allocation of Responsibilities to Seek the Successful Resolution of Stowaway Cases - 5 Responsibilities in relation to the resolution of stowaway cases - 5.5 State of embarkation

5.5 State of embarkation

 It is the responsibility of the State of the original port of embarkation of the stowaway (i.e. the State where the stowaway first boarded the ship):

  • .1 to accept any returned stowaway having nationality/citizenship or right of residence;

  • .2 to accept a stowaway back for examination where the port of embarkation is identified to the satisfaction of the public authorities of the receiving State; the public authorities of the State of embarkation should not return such stowaways to the State where they were earlier found to be inadmissible;

  • .3 to apprehend and detain the attempted stowaway, where permitted by national legislation, if the attempted stowaway is discovered before sailing either on the ship or in cargo due to be loaded; to refer the attempted stowaway to local authorities for prosecution, and/or, where applicable, to the immigration authorities for examination and possible removal: no charge is to be imposed on the shipowner in respect of detention or removal costs, and no penalty is to be imposed;

  • .4 to apprehend and detain the stowaway, where permitted by national legislation, if the stowaway is discovered while the ship is still in the territorial waters of the State of the port of his/her embarkation, or in another port in the same State (not having called at a port in another State in the meantime): no charge is to be imposed on the shipowner in respect of detention or removal costs, and no penalty is to be imposed;

  • .5 to report incidents of stowaways or attempted stowaways to the Organizationfootnote; and

  • .6 to reassess the preventative arrangements and measures in place and to verify the implementation and effectiveness of any corrective actions.


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