The number of stowaways arriving at Brazilian ports has reduced drastically in recent years, possibly due to a combination of enhanced ship security and pre-departure searches with changes in commercial shipping patterns.
Despite the drop in the number of cases, the potential threats stowaways pose remain the same. At the same time, the costs associated with their identification and repatriation have increased substantially, as many people are now stowing away for a living. Shipowners and ship operators should continue investing in resources to prevent illegal boarding, especially in ports known as hotspots for stowaways.
When prevention is no longer possible, whenever a stowaway is discovered, the master must immediately inform the shipowner and the P&I club or correspondent to obtain specific and timely advice on how to manage the situation better and report to the local authorities.
As P&I correspondents serving in Brazilian ports for nearly half a century, we prepared this guide with an overview of how stowaway incidents are handled in Brazil, the legal regime, and measures to be taken to resolve the case successfully.
