I work for a shipping and transport company. When our ships are going into dangerous places, I come in and arrange physical security, as well as training crew members and others in reacting to piracy or terrorism threats. I also serve as an interface between the civilian ships and military or government authorities. I have a background with the USMC, which led to shipboard security. I hold a master’s license, so I can serve as a ship’s officer when necessary. I also get called for explosives or military cargoes.
For the past several years, I have primarily been working with humanitarian aid shipments to equatorial Africa.
That sounds about ten times more interesting than it really is.
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[quote=“inactivist, post:35, topic:99519”]
One of these paths leads to peace and prosperity and then, one generation later in many of the countries in the world, civil unrest and famine, when the original culture asserts itself and the denizens continue breeding past the point they can support themselves as they always have previously and the other to war and waste.
[/quote] ftfy.
Of course, it is the West to blame, we robbed them once or twice so every one of their continuing faults is ours, forever.
Except in those countries that also suffered exploitation by the West ( many of them, amusingly, themselves western ) but went on to discipline themselves and rise to self controlled statehood . . . the West isn’t to blame for their sensible behaviour, that is all their own doing.
After watching all those videos I got several questions, perhaps you can help.
- How do the pirates usually react when they notice there is a security team onboard?
- What happens if a pirate gets killed by security? What are the legalities?
- The pirates often carry RPGs (at least those in the videos). How do you protect yourself against such threats? What happens when the ship gets hit?
- Do the pirates have parrots?
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The pirates work in networks. So any ship will have been noticed and reported several times as the ship approaches the hot area. When they see mounted belt-fed machine guns, they generally leave us alone. We would be firing from a reasonably stable platform, and from cover. That does not mean that they will not shadow us, or try to surprise us. There is always the possibility that they will mistake us for another ship, especially at night. A ship with a smaller security team, lightly armed, is more likely to get attacked. But tactics are always evolving on both sides.
If someone actually shoots a pirate, the ship can be expected to see lawyers waiting for them in the next safe port, to take depositions and collect evidence. It becomes a matter for law enforcement. There are strict rules of engagement, and you had better be able to justify your actions.
Remember that the pirates are firing from small boats, which means that they are disadvantaged by motion and elevation. They can certainly pierce the hull, but a hole above the waterline is unlikely to disable the ship. The closer they get, the better the chances of doing damage, or hitting the bridge or steering gear room. The RPGs have a limited effective range as well. Our mounted guns have at least 10 times the effective range of an RPG.
Somali pirates are very disappointing as far as their adherence to the pirate code, dialect, and regalia.
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So they’re not deterred by armed personnel onboard and still try boarding?
What about those non lethal anti-pirate gadgets advertised ( cranes trailing wires to prevent the skiffs “docking”, rigs spraying various liquids, harpoons etc) do they work / discourage not so determined pirates?
You can see by the posted videos that sometimes they attack anyway. There are often narcotics involved. The first defense for most ships is running out fire hoses, which has questionable effectiveness. In my training, we actually took turns doing approaches on a ship that was using high pressure hoses. But you do whatever you can. You weld gates across potential entry points, and always keep everything locked. Ships that have a lot of freeboard give you the opportunity to drop heavy objects on anyone alongside, or coming up a ladder. If it gets to that, you are having a bad day.
We also use LRADs and whatever gadgets are in fashion.
The best deterrent I know of is a short burst from a .50 cal. Not even a warning shot, but more of a test firing. The sound of it carries a very long way, and it is very intimidating.
There are some people that are afraid to issue arms, or to give the order to fire. There is a fear of some sort of mishap or accidental shooting, which could end a career or result in criminal penalties. There can also be a sense of disbelief, just not believing it is happening to you until it is too late to do anything about it. I have a friend who was Captain on a ship that got hijacked, and he never opened his armory. Until the pirates made him open it, to steal the guns. He feels differently now. But that is one reason to have a specially trained reaction team.
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Oh that explains their reckless behavior. Driving up to a ship where people fire at you from an elevated and fortified position while you sit in an open skiff seemed suicidal to me.
Discourse wants me to stop replying so I’m going to comply …
My last questions:
You mentioned lawyers. Whose lawyers and law enforcement? Most of these incidents happen in international waters, right?
Do the panic rooms some companies install work?
Can you call for back up? There are international militaries operating in ant-piracy missions … what are their response times?
Thanks so far.
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The lawyers and such are arranged by the shipping company, who deal with whoever needs to be dealt with. There might be follow-up later, depending on the legal complexity. If someone else’s lawyer shows up, they don’t get to talk to anyone or come aboard. If some government officials show up at the next port, they get referred to the company lawyers. The major shipping companies are set up to deal with all sorts of legal emergencies. Obviously if there are military deployed aboard that brings in a whole new set of people and rules.
The panic rooms exist, and have sometimes helped tremendously. But you never want it to get that far.
This is not an appropriate place for discussion of the other question.
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The truly desperate are their fellow Somalis who have not resorted to crime. These guys are just opportunists.
Having said that, these foot soldiers are not the ones who make any real coin on the operation. Just like in the drug business (all businesses?), the low-level guys take all the risk and reap a barely living wage, while their paymasters, safe on shore, take the lion’s share.
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You’re saying if a Somali pirate is killed or injured, his pirate warlord follows up and acquires a lawyer in the foreign country? I find this very difficult to believe.
As for law enforcement, its on the open sea. Jurisdiction is a notorious issue. It’s taken decades just for the various countries to decide who should be interdicting the pirates, much less who should be adjudicating when a criminal pirate is injured on the job.
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I suspect that the lawyers are paid for by the shipping corporation- to properly document what happened as a CYA for the company. So that if anybody tries to make a claim against them, the company already has documentation to show self-defense.
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Somali piracy has brought in approximately 400M USD since 2005. They have lawyers. Besides, any injured or deceased pirate “was only fishing”. The unprovoked attack on the fishermen would naturally be reported to authorities in the destination country and the flag country of the ship.
The fact remains that after such an incident, the lawyers are waiting at the next safe destination, and depositions are taken and evidence collected. But MicesNicely is correct in stating[quote=“MicesNicely, post:111, topic:99519, full:true”]
I suspect that the lawyers are paid for by the shipping corporation- to properly document what happened as a CYA for the company. So that if anybody tries to make a claim against them, the company already has documentation to show self-defense.
[/quote]
" The chapters on environmental law, immunities, responsibility, use of force and high seas freedoms have been substantially revised."
know all about ball gunners… did not think anyone would actually consider mounting a ball on a ship, its not the proper orientation.
friend of the family, considered an “uncle” was a ball gunner. lived! flew 18 missions. EIGHTEEN. and was considered a long-timer. 60% mortality rate. ugh
also, back to piracy - - this is not the solution. and yes, remote QUAD 50s would rock.
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This meaning ball gunners, or this meaning armed defense?
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Either, if we’re talking about ending piracy, instead of just protecting ships from pirates. Armed defense should do just fine with the latter, but probably without ball turrets.
Ending piracy will only happen when it becomes too unprofitable and risky to undertake.
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The corollary is making actual opportunity available…
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