Another pirate attack and this one is bad

[CCIP]

Originally Posted by August

I think eventually they're going to have to allow merchant vessels to arm themselves. It's just not right to keep asking civilian crews to travel defenseless through pirate infested waters without adequate naval protection.

As far as I know, that's not an eventuality but something that's been happening for a while. It's far from universal, but from what I understand a lot of merchants in hot piracy areas already have armed guards on board.

[August]

Originally Posted by CCIP

As far as I know, that's not an eventuality but something that's been happening for a while. It's far from universal, but from what I understand a lot of merchants in hot piracy areas already have armed guards on board.

I was under the impression there were issues with armed merchant ships getting docking rights. That has been resolved?

[RickC Sniper]

Originally Posted by CCIP

As far as I know, that's not an eventuality but something that's been happening for a while. It's far from universal, but from what I understand a lot of merchants in hot piracy areas already have armed guards on board.

I would think that because of the monetary loss of even one ship by the shipping company this would be an easy decision.

Perhaps for now, insurance is still more cost effective for them?

[nikimcbee]

Speaking of cost effectiveness, I wonder what the cost would be to re-route ships away from there?

[Herr-Berbunch]

We need to get ourselves a...


Convoy


It's worked before, against a greater enemy and unemployed (?) Somali fishermen.

[Penguin]

About safe rooms: the second article talks about an incident on Sautday where "the crew hid inside a safe room as pirates shot at the ship, though they left after about 25 minutes, the bureau said."

It also worked for the crew of the German ships Beluga Fortune, MS Taipan and Magellan Star, who were fred by the British, Dutch and Americans - somehow it's always other country's cavalry who safe our ships

Here is an interesting interview with the captain of the Magellan Star, who talks explicitely about the ship's panic room: http://www.spiegel.de/international/...717133,00.html - always useful to have a plan B...

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

Speaking of cost effectiveness, I wonder what the cost would be to re-route ships away from there?

The problem seems to be that Lagos is a mayor shipping port for western Africa, so no re-routing for ships which have to sail to or from there. Sadly the articles don't state where the ship in question came from.

[Jimbuna]

The convoy system is definitely the best way forward IMHO but IIRC the companies of the merchantmen would then be required to pay for the escorts and that is a price they are unwilling to meet.

The only way that would happen would be if the insurers made it a requirement.

The next stage will probably be armed personnel aboard the merchantmen...a step I suspect that has already been taken by some shipping companies but not been made public for docking permissions in some ports etc.

[nikimcbee]

I wish they would do something like the Q-ship concept. If you got enough of them out there killing/sinking pirates (NOT arresting them), you might cuase enough doubt in the pirates mind to think twice about raiding a ship.

Buy some old merchant ship, load it up with country X's special forces, let them loose in African waters. Pay a bonus for every pirate ship destroyed.

[the_tyrant]

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

I wish they would do something like the Q-ship concept. If you got enough of them out there killing/sinking pirates (NOT arresting them), you might cuase enough doubt in the pirates mind to think twice about raiding a ship.

Buy some old merchant ship, load it up with country X's special forces, let them loose in African waters. Pay a bonus for every pirate ship destroyed.

Its a political landmine though

what if one of the African governments objects?
or if the q ship accidentally kill local fishermen?

[TLAM Strike]

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

I wish they would do something like the Q-ship concept. If you got enough of them out there killing/sinking pirates (NOT arresting them), you might cuase enough doubt in the pirates mind to think twice about raiding a ship.

Buy some old merchant ship, load it up with country X's special forces, let them loose in African waters. Pay a bonus for every pirate ship destroyed.

Your thinking too complex, don't forget these pirates can't tell the difference between a fleet replenishment oiler and a crude oil oiler.

The NATO resupply ships have nabbed their fair share of pirates stupid enough to not keep a copy of Jane's on hand.

[nikimcbee]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

Your thinking too complex, don't forget these pirates can't tell the difference between a fleet replenishment oiler and a crude oil oiler.

The NATO resupply ships have nabbed their fair share of pirates stupid enough to not keep a copy of Jane's on hand.

Well this should be pretty simple then:
This:



+



+




=



former pirate

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by August

I was under the impression there were issues with armed merchant ships getting docking rights. That has been resolved?

I do not think that it has there are a few PMCs that provide the service but the problem is the sea of legal issues(no pun intended) that arise dealing with the laws of the nations of various ports.Another problem is numbers I am not sure about other regions but pirates in the South China Sea and other south east asian waters have been known to pull raids with as many as 100 people that is really too large of a force for a handful of mercs to deal with and what of a tanker vessel not really an ideal place for firearms at the same time the PMCs can be costly to all but the largest shipping companies.I think arming the crews is a bad idea the crewmen are sailors not fighters they are just as likely to take their chances in a good hiding place as they are to fight back plenty of good hiding places on a large vessel.

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Originally Posted by TLAM Strike

Your thinking too complex, don't forget these pirates can't tell the difference between a fleet replenishment oiler and a crude oil oiler.

The NATO resupply ships have nabbed their fair share of pirates stupid enough to not keep a copy of Jane's on hand.

They have already demonstrated that they can't tell the difference between a Burke class destroyer and a bulk carrier...