SAMI: taking on the pirates
SMT Online Web Exclusive
25 Feb 11
The world’s oceans are a ‘super highway’ for trade, but that also renders them a magnet for piracy. Consultant Peter Cook explains why he and his colleagues are taking the fight to the pirates by establishing SAMI, the Security Association for the Maritime Industry.
With the global economies slowly but surely climbing out of recession, it’s the free movement of trade that will feed growth… and the security of that trade which will ensure sustainable growth.
The maritime industry (encompassing commercial shipping, offshore oil and gas and port facilities) is the crucial enabler of this economic recovery and continued globalisation.
Thanks for the comment and we have emailed you to exchange further dialogue. Please be advised the Security Association for the Maritime Industry (SAMI) is not pro-arms, simply pro-standards.
i have read with interest the “SAMI: taking on the pirates” article. with great interest the statement “Maritime security: increasingly important
Maritime security is becoming increasingly important, and now is very much the time to establish a forum to manage maritime security alongside Governments and international bodies so that we can establish a structure to co-ordinate an effective security response at sea. I would like to understand how SAMI intend to expedite this; are we gong to see SAMI fast surface craft respond to an emergency call from a vessel being attacked at 68 degrees in the Indian ocean. with reference to standards and affiliation, is SAMI placing itself as the representative face of companies whom already conform to ICoC, ICS, IMO 1405 & 6, interpol the UN (SEMG) governmental licencing and audit controls PANDI requirements etc and the list goes on.
however SAMI turns out, I think currently it is over reaching in its capability, we security companies already operating to complete legislation standards, insurance needs and competencies and more so, shipping owners and management companies are spending a lot of time money and effort to prove themselves as a legitimate business and service provider, definitely dont need another “mouth to feed” in relation to cost and justification of intent, quality, standing and provision
SAMI provides a mechanism for representation, while also checking that maritime security companies are indeed legitimate businesses which conform to the standards you have outlined. The Association exists for its members and is run by a small Secretariat team. The 47 member companies see great value in SAMI, and the continued growth of the Association and the projects it undertakes are testament to the need for a trade Association capable of ensuring robust self-regulation. http://www.seasecurity.org
Does seem like in the uk we are seeing number of powers that used to belong to police going to various other organizations and ok were prob abused by the police but at least we had some checks and balances.
This isn’t just about private companies we also have the rise in ‘community support officers’
http://www.sharpedge.ie/