Two stowaways were identified and safely removed from a vessel in a Nigerian port before departure.
Detection before sailing protected the vessel owner from liability, delay, and unnecessary cost. It confirms why pre-departure security controls remain essential.
The Scale of the Risk
Stowaways remain a persistent operational risk for vessel owners operating in Nigeria and the wider West African maritime corridor.
Industry reporting indicates that vessels recorded approximately 2,300 stowaway-related incidents in 2025, with some foreign shipping lines experiencing two to three cases per week.
Each confirmed stowaway may attract a sanction of around $2,000, contributing to annual industry costs estimated at roughly $4.6 million in Nigeria alone.
Total exposure can approach $30,000 per incident. This includes repatriation, delay, security management, and compliance handling.
Liability typically transfers once a vessel sails with an undetected individual onboard. In practice, fines, removal costs, and clearance delays must often be resolved before a vessel can depart. Pre-departure detection therefore remains the final effective control point.
Why the Risk Persists
Stowaways frequently board vessels while alongside or during port activity, concealing themselves within cargo spaces, containers, or vessel structures. If undetected, consequences extend across three critical domains:
- Legal exposure for owners, operators, and port stakeholders
- Financial loss through fines, repatriation, delay, and disruption
- Safety risk affecting both crew members and the individuals involved
Recent interceptions in Nigerian waters, including attempts at irregular migration towards Europe, underline the persistence of the threat and the need for robust pre-sailing security controls.
The Human and Compliance Dimension
Many individuals who attempt to stow away are driven by conflict, insecurity, or economic hardship.
Effective responses must therefore combine operational control with a lawful and humane approach. This ensures safe transfer to the appropriate authorities and compliance with international standards.
Professional stowaway searches serve a dual purpose: protecting vessel operators from regulatory exposure while safeguarding the welfare and legal treatment of discovered individuals.
Operational Detection in Nigeria
The recent professional pre-departure stowaway search carried out by Castor Vali Services Nigeria (CVSN) was supported by trained K9 assets on a vessel alongside at a Nigerian port. The stowaways were identified and safely handed over to the authorities before sailing.
Incidents such as this rarely receive wider visibility, yet they represent the last practical opportunity to prevent financial liability and compliance exposure transferring to the vessel owner.
Prepared and Secured: Practical Risk Control
Since 2014, CVSN has delivered maritime and offshore security support aligned with international standards and local regulatory requirements.
Pre-departure stowaway detection includes:
- Systematic vessel and cargo space searches by trained teams
- Specialist K9 detection capability
- Procedures aligned with maritime security best practice
- Safe identification and lawful handover to authorities
This work is supported by wider maritime security measures across West Africa, including:
Together, these controls help vessel operators remain informed, prepared, and secured throughout port operations and departure.
Supporting Safe and Compliant Maritime Operations
Undetected stowaways create immediate legal liability, financial loss, and operational disruption.
As recent operational detection demonstrates, professional pre-departure searches remain one of the most effective and practical safeguards available.
For further information about Castor Vali Services Nigeria’s maritime security support, please contact: info@castorvali.com