Maritime Security: Spanish Tuna Boats to Hire Private Security

Excellent news, and my hats off to the government of Spain in recognizing the fact that security for it’s fishing vessels requires more than just bad language or hoses and deck chairs.

The right to defend yourself in international waters is something I support. When up against pirates armed with RPG’s, AK 47′s and PKM’s, it is totally reasonable for a vessel to contract the services of armed men to defend against that. I also support posting military details on these vessels, if that vessel’s government has the resources to do that. In this case, Spain has turned to the security contracting industry to help, and we will do just that.

The alternative is to do nothing, and that is just unacceptable in my book. -Matt

—————————————————————–

Spanish tuna boats to hire mercenaries

September 17, 2009

by Alan Harten

The Spanish government has announced that it will allow its tuna fleet of fishing vessels operating near Somalia to hire mercenaries, or as they put it “Private Security” services, to defend the fishing fleet as it goes about its business in the notoriously pirate infested waters of the Indian Ocean.

According to the Spanish Ministry of Defense these security guards will be heavily armed with extremely high-powered rifles. The fishermen originally wanted Spanish marines stationed on the boats as many other countries such as France have already done.

But this will be a breach of the law in Spain which has never allowed its armed forces to protect any kind of privately owned property that would include ships at sea.

Nearly all of the Spanish registered fishing boats that operate in the Indian Ocean come from the Basque region. Like many other countries Spain has seen its ships attacked since 2007 by Somali pirates and has several naval vessels operating as part of the European Union in defense of all European vessels plying these dangerous waters.

There has been one actual hijacking of a Spanish tuna fishing vessel and one failed attempt in the last year. It is unclear if this exception of allowing mercenaries onto the ships will include any assistance of a financial kind from the Spanish government.

Story here.

headjundi

Hey Darrell, thanks for the update. That's pretty dismal if that is what the Spanish are implementing on those boats. I am for professionals on these boats, not amateurs, and that is a recipe for disaster if this is the policy. -matt

share flag

spam
offensive
disagree
off topic

Darrell Crawford-Smi

Hello there Mat. Thanks for your continual intel , and please let me correct a recent posting where it was stated that Spanish Government is sanctioning Private Security aboard its Tuna Vessels. First, the private secuity are British ´contractors´as we are. Second, they operate out of the Seycheles. Third, the boats are Seychelles flagged and thus not Spanish. Forth, the ´weak´spanish government are claiming kudos´but have sod all to do with the actions taken as the Tuna fleet are self hiring guards, through us and others. Fifth, The spanish have 1 week trained or 3 day express´trained supermarket guards aboard their vessels who have already been ´sacked´due to their incompetance.. and unprofessional aproach. Sixth, We are in contact with IMPESCA and others as completely independant self motivated deniability teams, who serve the fleet as pro-active response security and who do not waterhose. ...If your readers want the complete picture they should either read Spanish and learn or contact those who are in the know before congratulating the spineless hipocritical bull******** Government and Spanish press.

Maritime Security: Somali Pirates And Armed Security Personnel In 4 Shootouts, Pirate Season Begins | Feral Jundi says:

Friday, March 5, 2010 at 11:02 am

[...] the looks of it, folks have been busy out there. The one story to clue in on, is the results of putting armed security on Spanish tuna boats. This was endorsed by Spain’s government, and it looks to me like this is working out for [...]