QUOTE:
Guard P&I Club has issued a circular about the risk and contractual complication from drug smuggling for their members.
END QUOTE
The above mentioned circular applies to TIME CHARTERED vessels. In such contracts(NYPE , Boxtime) there are clauses containing strct and very well defined responsibilities of Owners/Managers & Time Charterers regarding such issues like drugs , stowaways and cargo claims.
The vessel in question is not a time chartered vessel it is owned by an entity as described in previous post (source Gisis) and chartered through demise/bareboat charter to MSC , who may or may not use 3rd party entities for crew management and technical management , leaving the rest to themselves .
Having said that, they are not exonerated ( at least theoretically) from responsibility . How about vicarious responsibility ?