P&i club cover relating to refugees ?

146
FOLLOW

P&I clubs normally indemnify their members against the costs of proceeding to the assistance of persons in distress and the reasonable costs of caring for those persons and landing them. Diversion expenses will usually be covered where they are solely for the purpose of landing the rescued persons.Whilst on board, migrants will be “third parties”, and the normal P&I cover against the owner’s liability for personal injury, illness or death of a third party will apply. Fines imposed on the owner by port States for bringing the migrants into the country, or where a migrant escapes from the ship, or for absence of proper documentation, will also normally be reimbursed by the P&I club.
In view of its degree of involvement, the P&I club should be kept advised by the ship’s master throughout the period during which the migrants are on board.