Page 8: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 2016)

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Pirates, Politics & Protection

Like oil & water, they don’t mix.

Joseph Keefe is the lead commentator of

MaritimeProfessional.com.

or many businesses on the col- it works. Correct me if I am wrong, but sentenced crew members of a U.S. vessel problems ashore that lead to piracy at lective, global waterfront, it I am not aware of any merchant vessel to prison terms of up to ? ve years for ille- sea are solved, professional armed secu- is going to be a challenging that has ever been taken while private se- gal possession of arms in Indian waters. rity for merchant vessels might just our

Fyear for one reason or another. curity was on board. Unfortunately, the To say the verdict has in? amed regional best bet. Separately, some stakeholder

Hence, you can be forgiven for forget- costs associated with these services are and global politics would not overstate reports now predict a spike in merchant ting that it wasn’t too long ago that the predictably and prohibitively expensive the situation. Reportedly, foreign nation- vessel hijackings in high risk areas dur- most pressing matter on the plates of and ultimately they impact the world’s als from Ukraine, Estonia and six former ing the coming year. From where I sit, blue water shipping executives was pro- supply chain. British armed services members were ar- the practice of placing armed security tecting the mariners that get deep draft Leaving aside (for a moment) the root rested in 2013 from the ‘Seaman Guard on merchant vessels is still probably shipping from point A to point B from causes of piracy – off Somalia, most Ohio’ when they could not demonstrate the best of many possible solutions to the scourge of so-called ‘pirates.’ The stakeholders would agree that it simply that they had permission to carry weap- the challenge of ‘modern piracy.’ That romance quickly went out of that word emanates from the ongoing lack of a ons in India’s water. 35 crew members doesn’t mean there aren’t some kinks to as vessels were boarded in remote places functioning central government in that are said to be involved, some of whom work out of the system. Beyond this and like the Gulf of Aden, West Africa and strife-? lled region – the task of solving spent nine months in prison. Out on bail, until a more international agreement on then, in obscure places in the Far East. the end result of the problem merely they cannot leave the country. the rules for this method of protection

The Maersk Alabama episode brought masks the real issues that cause it, no According to Reuters, “The ship was can be standardized, then we are likely the problem into the glaring spotlight, matter where it happens. Nevertheless, operated by a U.S. maritime security to see more of what just transpired in In- followed by a reasonably well done Hol- when friends and neighbors outside the ? rm and the incident highlighted the dia. But that common ground may prove lywood dramatization that used the inci- maritime cluster would ask me about loosely regulated practice of placing to be just as elusive as the solution to the dent as the springboard for a full length the issue, their comments almost always guards on ships for protection against root cause of piracy itself.

movie. went something like this: “Why don’t pirate attacks.” “Loosely regulated” is All of this is not to say that mistakes

Before that, however, the problem they just put guards on board and shoot one way to describe the practice, but in have not been made by armed security spawned entire trade shows, a cottage in- these criminals when they attack?” And, reality, the maritime security industry in the past. They have. That said; look- dustry of private security companies spe- I would answer patiently, “It isn’t that has arguably done a decent job in regu- ing ahead, we may see more and more ci? cally focused on the maritime sector simple.” To which they always replied, lating themselves and ensuring that, in shipping companies reluctant to place and a broader discussion of what to do, “Well, it sounds simple to me.” most cases, good standards and rules of security on board in certain areas. At the why and how to do it. Those discussions It isn’t that armed security is a bad idea; engagement have been put into place. same time, more and more of the best se- continue today. Large, multi-national co- actually it’s a far better solution than put- There are even voluntary international curity professionals may be leery of put- alitions and navies put in place several ting the guns in the hands of the mariners organizations that these ? rms can join ting themselves in harm’s way only to be patchwork ? xes that did some good, but themselves. Having sailed on a variety and in turn be audited for compliance. caught in the middle of a similar diplo- at the end of the day, showed that try- of merchant vessels, I don’t think I’d be All of that, however, doesn’t solve the matic row. And, that just might translate ing to kill ants with a 50 pound sledge comfortable with a good percentage of myriad rules and regulations unique to into more ship hijackings.

hammer was at best ineffective. It still the folks I sailed with being given arms. dozens of countries where these guards Like oil & water; Pirates, Politics and is. It’s (in part) why the era of the 600- And, trust me on this one; you don’t want might pass through on the way to their Protection simply don’t mix. We may foot warship being the primary vehicle me handling a loaded weapon. Sailing assignments, or where the vessels them- have to change that reality. – MarPro. for maritime security is rapidly coming as an of? cer with the civilian-operated selves transit in the course of seagoing to an end. U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command commerce.

By far, the most effective means with in the 1980’s, I was aware that there was What is currently happening in India Joseph Keefe is the lead commentator which to deal with the ‘piracy’ problem a gun locker somewhere on the vessel. may well be an unfortunate political of MaritimeProfessional.com. Addition- turned out to be embarking small teams I can’t remember ever seeing it opened spat, grossly unfair for the mariners and ally, he is Editor of both Maritime Pro- of professional, well-trained armed and I was glad of it. Over time, the best security personnel caught in the middle, fessional and MarineNews print maga- guards onto merchant vessels. That so- reason NOT to arm the crews might have but it shouldn’t come as any surprise to zines. He can be reached at jkeefe@ lution has worked quite well, by all ac- come from an experienced U.S. Master anyone. And just because the Somalia maritimeprofessional.com or at Keefe@ counts. Governments like it because it Mariner who told me, maybe tongue- geopolitical situation continues to be at marinelink.com. MaritimeProfessional.

takes the ? nancial burden off the tax- in-cheek, “I want the cook putting out a best unstable, doesn’t mean that other com is the largest business networking payers and foists it onto the shipping meal, not playing Rambo on the stern.” countries that do a better job with the site devoted to the marine industry. Each companies (who, presumably, when pos- But, I’m wandering off message here. rule of law shouldn’t enforce their own day thousands of industry professionals sible, pass it along to their customers). In the second week of January, the wire laws – whether or not we agree with around the world log on to network, con-

The shipping companies like it because services reported that an Indian court had them, or not. On the other hand, until the nect, and communicate.

8 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • FEBRUARY 2016

MR #2 (1-9).indd 8 2/3/2016 10:17:43 AM