Undoubtedly, this is a critical aspect of our maritime operations. Ensuring a smooth process on this front is of great importance to the vessels’ master, its crew, the ship-owner/manager and us as the security provider.

• Contact between G4S Operations in Djibouti and the Shipping Operations team is established at a minimum of 72hrs to discuss an established rendezvous point.

• Rendezvous point, protocol, procedures and safe word is agreed upon and established with the vessel’s master minimum of 24hrs before embarkation.

• Contact between G4S Ops and the Vessel is made 12, 6 and 2 hours before embarkation to ensure no problems arise.

• Once visual contact is made between the G4S team skiff and the vessel, the safe word is communicated and the vessel slows to a boarding speed.

• The boarding procedure takes anywhere between 5 – 15 minutes depending on if there is a crane on board or not. This procedure has been made very quick due to the pelican cases that G4S use for armaments & PPE.