Security and Anti-Piracy. What is next?

The impact on crews of piracy.

Security and Anti-Piracy. What is next?

What we expect in the future? Piracy will not go away, it is shifting and some people are deluded about piracy and criminalization. The Somali pirates are not poor fishermen. It’s a complex international business model. In 2014 there’s going to be a big change in Africa because of the funding goals and the only thing that is left in its place is armed security guards to take up the slack. Also, we have the other dimension, the Yemen, which is now destabilized. The commitment of war ships in the area is being reviewed and probably reduced in 2014/15. It’s going to be a checkpoint, it’s going to be difficult and there is possibility piracy to arise again. West Africa is a nightmare.  Pirate probing attempts have not diminished, so the problem has not gone but is waiting. And no matter what everybody else says, the ship-owners have to foot the bill.

Does crew receive weapons training and ships carry their own armoury? Of course this is contradictory on the concept of merchant ships, but it can be done in times of war. Also does the definition of a merchant ship need to be redefined?

Are ships redesigned to trade through known piracy areas? This would be a major investment with unknown return. A lot of rules have to be rewritten. How would the ship-owner justify the additional expense/cost?

Or is a collective merger of all of the above needed?

To continue reading, please click here.

Source: safety4sea.com