Dealing with stowaway cases

As soon as instructions are received from the vessel’s Master, Agents, P&I Club or Owner, BUDD immediately contacts the relevant authorities (harbour, immigration, etc.) in order to obtain their green light to repatriate the stowaways.

Our bilingual staff then assist the Master in completing the disembarkation formalities with the authorities on board the vessel and interview the stowaway(s) in order to ascertain the probable nationality(ies). The Club/Owner is provided with an estimate of the repatriation costs.

With the assistance of the Police, we then disembark and escort the stowaway(s) to a police detention centre pending further investigations and ensure that meals will be provided.

Once the stowaway(s) has(ve) been escorted to and interviewed at the relevant Embassy/Consulate by our staff in order to obtain confirmation of his/their nationality(ies), we apply for emergency travel documents and make the repatriation arrangements (booking escorts and plane tickets as required, purchasing a minimum of inexpensive decent clothing, etc.).

BUDD accompanies the stowaway(s) to the airport, completes the boarding formalities and ensures that they board the plane.