Merchant Marine Ready to Shoot Back Date: Tuesday, January 05, 2010 Source: Wall Street Journal

Shipping firms in the modern era have resisted self-arming even in areas where attacks are common. Their reasoning is that a firefight leading to lawsuits, damaged goods or a sunken ship could cost hundreds of millions of dollars, a sum far exceeding the few million dollars in ransom that pirates usually demand. But some shipping companies and fishing vessels are rejecting a longstanding tradition of unarmed sailing amid escalating violence on the high seas. And pirates, who once used small arms as their weapon of choice, now resort to heavier armaments such as grenade launchers, shipping and security firms say. Besides, they note, recent armed conflicts have had some success repelling pirates. The majority of the international maritime community resists using lethal force because it "poses incredible logistical challenges, potentially violates many national and international laws, and is contrary to maritime conventions," says James Christodoulou, chief executive of Industrial Shipping Enterprises Corp. One of Mr. Christodoulou's ships, the MC Biscaglia, was hijacked in November 2008, then released after a ransom payment of over a million dollars two months later. Despite being a victim, he still rejects weapons. They could, he says, endanger merchant crews in captivity and "turn the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden into a shooting gallery." Though no commercial seamen have been killed by pirates, conflicts are escalating. According to the International Maritime Bureau, a London-based trade group, there were 324 attempted boardings by pirates around the world in the first 10 months of 2009, up from 194 in the same period in 2008. About half the raids are in the Gulf of Aden. Of those, there were 47 successful hijackings in the region in 2009, up from 42 in 2008, the IMB says. The increase, though slight, was surprising, because a trading slump has reduced the number of ships at sea, and a 15-vessel military armada, coordinated by NATO and the EU, was supposed to squelch the problem. It doesn't look like pirates are taking any time off. On New Year's day, the U.K.-flagged Asian Glory, which transports cars, was hijacked in the Indian Ocean. Two days earlier, the M/V Pramoni, a chemical tanker from Singapore, was taken in the Gulf of Aden. That followed two hijackings after Christmas, and brought to 14 the total number of ships being held. Security companies report an increase in requests for armed personnel, usually retired soldiers over the age of 30. After being hijacked in April and freed by U.S. Navy SEAL snipers, the Maersk Alabama brought on an armed private-security team, which successfully fought off an attack 300 miles off the coast of Somalia on Nov. 30. Nobody was hurt. Weapons were "not the preferred route," says Kevin Speers, a spokesman for Maersk Line Ltd. But after getting approval from the U.S. Coast Guard, Maersk hired the guards for transit through risky waters, he says. A growing number of governments that flag ships now support arming vessels. After the Maersk Alabama attack, the U.S. started advising its ships to carry armed guards. Congress passed a bill limiting the liability of firms that use force against pirate attacks. In late October, Spain passed a law allowing armed security guards on Spanish-flagged ships. Insurers, many of which require ships passing through the Gulf of Aden to carry kidnapping and ransom coverage, are also onboard with arming ships. Some have recently begun to offer special deals for ships that carry armed security guards. Hiscox Ltd., for example, now offers premium reductions of up to 50% for ships that buy armed protection. One company that has used armed guards is Denmark's Clipper Group A/S, which operates and charters out some 80 vessels. In November 2008, one of them, the unarmed CEC Future, was hijacked off the coast of Somalia for two months, then released after a $1.7 million ransom was paid. That prompted a change in philosophy, says CEO Per Gullestrup. A few months ago, Clipper, which employs many Russian crew members, accepted the Russian navy's offer of stationing six armed marines prominently on each of its ships going through the Gulf of Aden. Weapons, he adds, "are a good idea for ships that are particularly vulnerable: ships that are too low and slow." Rates for a team of armed guards vary greatly, between $25,000 and over $100,000 for crossing the Gulf of Aden. They board ships at ports in Yemen, Djibouti or Oman. They hire local fishermen to take them out to the freighter that needs protection. After reaching the Suez canal, the men are flown back to the Gulf, or put on board a ship heading southward toward the Gulf of Aden. The guards carry handguns, but the risk of a catastrophic escalation is minimal, says Maritime Asset Security & Training co-director Philip Cable. Pirates "are there to take the ship, not kill people." So far, MAST guards have helped fend off seven attacks, none involving weapons. Despite the growing threat, some shipping companies are still worried about lawsuits, threats to crew members and the cost of armed security. Many shipowners and security companies fear that in the event of a firefight they could face costly litigation in a foreign country where their rights might not be respected or where they could be prevented from doing business in the future. John Harris, CEO of Hollowpoint Protective Services in Ridgeland, Miss., says the company doesn't provide armed guards for ships. But his business of providing unarmed guards is up 40% this year, and more companies are inquiring about having guns aboard. "But there are too many gray legal issues right now," he says. Shipping is a notoriously murky, complicated business due to multiple jurisdictions, says Mr. Harris. "A ship could be flagged in Liberia, crewed by Philippines, carrying German-owned cargo from Hong Kong to Rotterdam." Security firms are developing alternatives to arms such as electrifying the ship rail, flooding the deck with slippery oil, and using long-range acoustic devices that make deafening noises. Dutch consultancy Secure-Marine has developed hoses that project scalding-hot water. Still, says director Raphael Kahn, "armed guards are becoming more than incidental, especially for companies that can afford it." To read the full article please click on the link below: Wall Street Journal Courtesy of SecurityOracle.com - The Secury Industry's Portal