News

On 31 March in Klaipėda, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, in cooperation with the Lithuanian Shipowners’ Association, is organizing a seminar, dedicated to the fight against piracy and other crimes of the sea.

The seminar will be attended by sea captains, seamen, ship owners, representatives from international organizations and interested Lithuanian institutions. The participants will discuss the application of the measures of maritime security enhancement and will share their experience on how to defend themselves against piracy more effectively.

Director of the Transatlantic Cooperation and Security Policy Department of the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Gediminas Varvuolis and Chairman of the Board of the Lithuanian Shipowners’ Association, Chief Executive Officer of Limarko Shipping Company Vytautas Lygnugaris will welcome the participants of the event.

The Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the Lithuanian Shipowners’ Association, decided to organize the seminar following the attacks against Lithuanian mariners off African coast.

Secretary General of the European Community Shipowner’s Association Alfons Guinier, representatives from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the European Commission, NATO and the Lithuanian armed forces will deliver speeches at the seminar.

During the seminar, officials intend to provide information about the threat posed by pirates to international shipping and trade. The seminar will also dedicate considerable attention to measures of the enhancement of maritime security, and to the anti-piracy cooperation between the shipping industry, international organizations and state institutions. Representatives from the Lithuanian armed forces will also provide information and give advice on how the crew members should behave in case of a ship seizure.