Boat Refugees
Boat refugees have been a challenge for shipping companies since the refugee and migrant influx across the Mediterranean began in 2014.
In 2018, Danish Shipping companies participated in a rescue operation where 127 individuals were saved, and in 2020, 27 migrants were onboard a Danish ship in the Mediterranean after being rescued.
Merchant ships are obligated by international conventions to assist if people are in distress at sea, and Danish Shipping companies contribute without hesitation when needed.
However, rescuing stranded individuals, often hundreds of desperate people on sinking vessels, remains the responsibility of the authorities, as commercial ships and their crews are not equipped for such tasks.
For more information, please refer to the Danish Shipping's Policy paper below.