GlesgaKiss

I just noticed this story in my new feed - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/ar...ian-Ocean.html

So... with pirates now venturing further and further away from the African coast in search of ships, isn't it about time something was done about this? Surely the cost of employing private security on board ships - especially cargo ships - is not much in the grand scheme of things?

A couple of hundred years ago we wouldn't have hesitated to deal with them, but I guess the political climate has changed in such a way that the people in this country are able to sympathise with the effects of heavy industry and shipping on domestic economies and the fishing industry.

So, do you sympathise with them, or would you favour a more direct action? And what would you suggest is done in either case?

The sheer size of it makes it a difficult place for Navies to have much effect, hence the obvious suggestion of private security on the ships themselves. However, that would be pretty much out of the question on a cruise ship anyway, since violence is something you'd want to avoid at all costs. And then if you have beefed up security on cargo ships only, that could make pirates more inclined to go for passenger ships, possibly with increased aggression. It's a tricky situation...

RA Dunk

What will/can security do though? Open fire on any pirate ships that come into range?

Most of these pirate ships carry RPG's so If they come under any kind of fire they would probably let rip with these.

kingofturds

iTrader: (1)

We used to have this thing that protected our interests at sea. I think it was called the navy.

The Zohan

RPG's are short range weapons 250-400m or so. What tyou do is You out gun them 4 x 20mm or 30mm chain guns (port starboard, bow and stern) firing 2000rpm up to 1500m range will do the trick nicely. Probably looking at 800k per ship then add a crew to operate whilst in the indian ocean/area.

No exactly expensive in the wholes scheme of things when you look at the reduction in insurance costs as the risk of hi jack is reduced.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKQpg...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY6nm...eature=related
30mm in action - as you are not shooting down aircraft you do not need the same level of computer and radar guidance. Ships are fitted with sophisticated anti collision radar which can easily detect pirates before they get in range of their weapons and pick the off at a distance. NICE


Alternatively gunboat escort would also work well.

kingofturds

iTrader: (1)

Or mini nukes

billythekid

A friend of mine works in the security business and has been training staff on cruise ships for maybe 5 to 10 years I would say. So some companies do train their staff. Oh, and some private ships have some fairly decent ways of getting rid of anyone who comes too close.....

SJ_Skyline

Paul, more like $1.5m per unit for the gun only: no crew, no ammunition and no fire-control radar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalanx_CIWS

Cheaper and easier to fit LRADs

The Zohan

Oops looking at 7.62 minigun costs - these would still do the trick!

David Lock

I think some ships now have a security cabin where the crew can lock themselves in for a week or two and control the ship, and radio for help, from there until the pirates smash a few things up and then go home.

And I don't think, in law, that you can just take a pop at a small boat just because you think they look like pirates even if they do have eye patches and a parrot on their shoulders

Capt dl
dl

musso2010

lol very good.

SJ_Skyline

Arrrr.... Suffering Swordfish!

I figure a motorboat full of chaps armed with AKs and RPGs isn't out collecting for the Red Cross

Trout

iTrader: (1)

I have a number for the Expendables if anyone want's it?

scud8

iTrader: (1)

There are already quite a few companies in the market - for example http://www.mmwc.org/about_us.php.

A friend of mine invested in one such company and he was telling me that the rules for carrying arms on a private vessel are horrendous. Some flags disallow it altogether and maritime insurance companies are not happy with it.

GlesgaKiss

RPGs are like pea shooters compared to the stuff I'm sure shipping companies would put in place. Sure, that might happen the odd time, but the pirates are doing it right now because there obviously is a good chance of profiting. If it's a guaranteed suicide mission then it might be different...

Yeah, I guessed that would be the case. I knew it wouldn't be a matter of cost after reading how much money delayed cargo can waste. Interesting link.

I reckon the government should free the laws up a bit on these sorts of things, maintaining strict rules on what actually constitutes a 'pirate attack'. It's only necessary in one part of the world anyway, so it's not as if they'd be p*ssing off too many other countries in the process.

This link gives an idea of some of the costs that re-routing via the cape of good hope incur - https://www.bimco.org/Members/Report...ethinking.aspx

stilover

Can't see many cruise ship allowing them. Shame, as they could give passengers a go of it.

However, a well trained marksman with a high powered rifle would be a good appointment. Shoot the Pirates well before they got into range for their own guns.

I'm not a bad shot myself. If the money was right, I'd do the training.

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

I think just seeing security would be enough to put them off ..

stilover

All depends. Certain ships do have security. Though it is against the law for them to A) carry weapons, and B) use them.

So they can just look mean, throw a hammer or 2, and that's about it.

Not much of a deterrent to an AK47 wielding pirate?

markjmd

iTrader: (11)

It's definitely not against maritime law for a ship's crew to carry small arms, or to use them in self-defense. Rigging a ship up with mini-guns might be a different story though.