Archive for category Maritime Security

Maritime Security: The Global Shipping Industry Wants The UN To Provide Guards–Oh Really?

Sep 12

Posted by Matt in Maritime Security | 4 Comments

This is cheapskate move if I have ever seen one. Instead of accepting the costs of security, the global shipping industry has cooked up a scheme to get the UN to provide these guards? We are talking about the same UN that effectively stood by while places like Rwanda burned, or the same UN that sent forces into the Ivory Coast, that traded food for sex with starving people. Oh yeah, the UN is a great bargain and idea. There are so many examples of how pathetic the UN really is, and yet these shipping companies want to go this route? Amazing.

But what really kills me is who do you think will pay for such a service? Well the US  contributes 22% to the UN budget and is the top contributor of funding, so that gives you an idea of where a good chunk of that money will come from. And of course the cheapest most corrupt country will provide the troops, and that government will swindle most of the money used to pay for that force. The end result will be what you see with most of the UN’s deployments, and that is a under-funded crap military force lead by greedy and corrupt leaders.

How about this. Those companies that cannot afford PSC’s, yet can afford to buy a multi-million dollar vessel and transport millions of dollars worth of cargo, can own up to the idea that contracting with PSC’s is the cost of doing business. Just like banks hire their own guards, or shopping malls hire their own security–the shipping companies can do the same. And like-wise, you don’t see banks or shopping malls calling on the UN to provide guards? Pfffft.

Either way, I don’t see it happening. I also think that the cost of security should be a personal responsibility of these shipping companies and not on the UN. Then those costs can be passed onto their clients that choose to use those services. That is how this is done, and that is the way it should be. -Matt

 

Global Shipping Industry calls for UN armed force against Somali pirates
September 9, 2011
The global shipping industry (represented by the Round Table of international shipping associations) has called for the establishment of a United Nations force of armed military guards to tackle the piracy crisis in the Indian Ocean, which it says is spiralling out of control.
In a hard hitting letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), BIMCO, INTERTANKO and INTERCARGO demand a “bold new strategy” to curb rising levels of piracy which have resulted in the Indian Ocean resembling “the wild west”.

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Maritime Security: Ministry Of Shipping–Indian Ship Owners Are Now Allowed To Contract With Private Security Companies

Aug 30

Posted by Matt in India, Maritime Security, Publications | No Comments

This is surprising, because from what I can tell, Indian ship owners are able to contract with whatever PSC they want. Which means Indian ship owners could tap into the already vibrant maritime security market. This is great news if true. I posted the guidelines in my Scribd if anyone is curious, and I could not find anything in them that said these PSC’s had to be Indian owned.

A couple of months back I posted a deal about the Indian government warming up to the idea of allowing their ship owners to use armed guards. But I got the impression in that article that they would only allow retired Indian naval officers to work on these vessels? Now I am sure Indian shipping companies would probably prefer contracting with Indian PSC’s, but hopefully with these new guidelines, this will help them to realize they have a choice–that’s if they would like to go outside of the market of Indian PSC’s.-Matt

 

Ships with Indian crew can have armed guards
Aug 30 2011
The ministry of shipping on Monday issued guidelines allowing ships with Indian crew to deploy armed guards in a bid to combat piracy in the Gulf of Aden. The move comes on the back of recommendations from the inter-ministerial group (IMG) of officers constituted to handle the hostage situation on hijacked ships and also suggest preventive measures.
It has been found that about 35 per cent of the ship transiting in these waters deploy armed security guards and that the pirates generally don’t attack ships with armed guards on board, an official release said on Monday. So far, 120 Somalian pirates have been apprehended by India as on date.
As per the new guidelines, ship owners are allowed to engage private maritime security companies (PMSC) through a proper selection procedure. In line with these, all Indian ships visiting Indian ports are to furnish details of security personnel on board, the firearms carried by them and the details of licence issued, etc, to the port authority, customs, Coast Guard and the Navy. Foreign merchant vessels visiting Indian ports with security guards are also required to follow similar procedure, as per the guidelines.

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Quotes: Up To 80% Of Ship Owners Are In Favour Of Arming Their Vessels

Aug 19

Posted by Matt in Maritime Security, Quotes | 2 Comments

“We took the decision three to four months ago that we could not defend our ships without contracting-in armed guards with light machine guns and who will shoot back,” said Per Gullestrup, CEO & Partner of Clipper Ferries/Ro-Ro.
“I hear that 60% to 80% of owners are in favour of arming their ships, which is a lot, and if you figure out that every time you do, it costs an owner between $30K and $50K to put armed guards on each passage then you are talking about a lot of money,” he said.

I had to post this, just because it is such a startling quote. And if the figures of $50,000 per passage is true, then anyone with any business sense will know that this is going to be one heck of a market.  I have mentioned this in the past, and will continue to say that the maritime security market is seeing some rapid growth right now and will only go up.

Of course this will only snowball on itself, just because no shipping company will want to be the ‘undefended low hanging fruit’ that could be easily taken by pirates. And believe me, there are plenty of ways for pirates to figure out what shipping companies are using armed security, and which ones are not. Pirate investment companies have elaborate intelligence collection operations going on, and they will find you if you are ‘easy money’.

The other thing I was wondering is that if PNC’s are making $50,000 per voyage, then how come we are not seeing salaries reflect this rate? These companies that are making this much money per trip, should definitely ensure that their contractors are getting paid well to put their lives on the line. For that fee, contractors should have the best equipment, weapons, and leadership on those voyages. We should also see health coverage as a mandatory benefit, just because there is no DBA out on the high seas. So if you get your leg blown off by an RPG round, I certainly hope that your company covers that? And if contractors are not able to receive these benefits because the rate is too low, then that $50,000 per voyage fee needs to go up.

I would also hope that companies are investing in good legal help, and offer their contractors full coverage if they happen to get caught up in some legal issues. There is so much that could happen out there, and there are no legal protections whatsoever. Please do not throw your contractors under the bus, and you have a responsibility to take care of them out there if they get into trouble. Especially if they are in ports of countries that have really shady laws.  There is no SOFA to protect or give guidance to these contractors out there, so a company really needs to be on the ball with this stuff.

Let’s talk about salaries. I believe salaries for maritime security should reflect the danger that those crews are up against. If pirates are using wolfpack tactics and heavy weaponry, then that ups the danger level tremendously. Not to mention that if pirates manage to sink a vessel, that the crew is now in danger of drowning. I make this point, because it is a requirement for most of these contractors to have STCW certifications. So contractors are expected to get this certification (on their own dime usually), so that if the vessel catches fire or sinks, that they will know how to survive. Why then are the salaries not reflecting this reality of sea life in pirate infested waters?

Not to mention that the value of the ship and it’s goods, and it’s safe delivery, is extremely important and vital to the world markets. Those armed guards are crucial to the safe delivery of those goods, and yet pay structures do not reflect this great responsibility? Stuff to think about, and I certainly hope that the companies remember who their most important asset is out there, and that is their contractors. -Matt

 

Up to 80% of owners want their ships armed

As many as 60% to 80% of ship owners are in favour of arming their vessels even though the cost can be as high as $50,000 per passage, a leading Danish ship owner has claimed.
“We took the decision three to four months ago that we could not defend our ships without contracting-in armed guards with light machine guns and who will shoot back,” said Per Gullestrup, CEO & Partner of Clipper Ferries/Ro-Ro.
“I hear that 60% to 80% of owners are in favour of arming their ships, which is a lot, and if you figure out that every time you do, it costs an owner between $30K and $50K to put armed guards on each passage then you are talking about a lot of money,” he said.

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Publications: ICS And ECSA Summary Of Flag State Rules On Arms And Private Armed Guards On Vessels, 2011

Aug 17

Posted by Matt in Legal News, Maritime Security, Publications | 1 Comment

ICS And ECSA Summary Of Flag State Rules On Arms And Private Armed Guards On Vessels, 2011

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Maritime Security: ICS And ECSA Compile Flag State Rules On Arms And Private Armed Guards

Aug 17

Posted by Matt in Legal News, Maritime Security | No Comments

When this first came out, I thought it was a great idea and resource. The funny thing is, I couldn’t find the PDF for this thing at ICS or at the ECSA. Perhaps it was buried somewhere? Either way, I took the time to find it and get it on my Scribd for anyone to access and locate conveniently. Pretty cool. -Matt

ICS: Flag State Rules on Arms and Private Armed Guards
August 17, 2011
With the assistance of its members, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) in association with the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA), has compiled a useful reference document collating the policy and rules of Flag States on the carriage of arms and private armed guards on board vessels.?The document, providing tabulated information on Flag States’ rules, has been added to the ICS website and is proving to be a popular reference tool for shipowners and other interested parties within the shipping community.

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Jobs: EUNAVFOR Is Looking For A ‘Pirate Cultural Advisor’

Aug 12

Posted by Matt in Jobs, Maritime Security, Somalia | 3 Comments

I figured I would put this one out there if anyone was interested. No word on how much they would pay and if you would be traveling. My guess is that you would be working out of their headquarters, but you never know. I am not the POC for this, and follow the link and directions below if you would like to apply. Good luck. -Matt

 

EU NAVFOR LOGO DiscJobs: EUNAVFOR Is Looking For A Pirate Cultural Advisor
Career Vacancy: Pirate Cultural Advisor
August 11, 2011
The EUNAVFOR Operation Headquarters (OHQ) is currently recruiting a pirate cultural advisor. Please see below for further details including the principal duties the post-holder will fulfil and the experience required for the role. Instructions for those wishing to submit an application can also be found here. Applications are to be received by the OHQ before close of business on 24 August 2011.
Post Description: To provide the Operation Commander (OpCdr) and OHQ staff with pirate cultural and religious advice and in particular to advise on pirate trends and weaknesses, including their perceived role in Somalia.
Principal Duties:
1. Advisor to the OpCdr on pirate culture, business model and modus operandi in the Indian Ocean.
2. In conjunction with the Overseas Support Group garner information on negotiations for ships being held by pirates.
2. Provide and/or prepare written and verbal advice.
3. Provide guidance to the OHQ and EU on pirate culture.

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Maritime Security: Pirates Using Wolfpack Tactics–Attacked Bulk Carrier With 12 Skiffs!

Aug 9

Posted by Matt in Maritime Security, Somalia, Strategy | 1 Comment

That’s 12 skiffs with 5-8 armed pirates per vessel, and all equipped with boarding ladders!  First off, bravo to the armed security team that was able to hold off such an attack! I would give every security contractor on that boat a bonus and a medal.

This kind of swarming attack was discussed earlier on this blog when we were talking about the New Rules of War. It is an interesting evolution of tactics, but one that is not surprising. Wolfpack also comes from the famous U-boat naval tactic.

But this incident also brings up some serious questions about the state of armed security teams currently in operation out there. This particular company was able to repel the attack, probably because they had a sufficient defensive plan, an organized force and the proper weapons. But what about those companies out there that do not have their operations squared away or are poorly manned, equipped and armed? Right now, armed guards on boats have a pretty good track record, but with tactics like these, I could actually see pirates successfully defeating an armed team.

Now what is a sufficient plan and/or weapons?  That is a great question, and I believe companies would be wise to consult those who are specialists when it comes to defending vessels.  One individual in particular that I would recommend contacting, would be Fredrik C. Jonsson, the author of Maritime Sniper Manual. You can find him on Facebook, and he has set up a Maritime Sniper Manual Facebook page.

What is really cool about Fredrik is that he can advise companies on the most cost effective and accurate weapons they would need, in order to deal with threats like ’12 skiffs swarming a vessel’.  I would imagine that most of the Russian type weapons would be adequate because of cost and availability. But definitely pick Fredrik’s brain on this if you are looking for ideas.

All in all though, it will be each team on each boat that has to pool their resources and thought power together, and figure out the best way to defend their client. I certainly hope that the companies that employ these brave souls are doing all they can to support them and give them the tools they need to be successful. From weapons to NVG’s, to solid admin and pay.  All of this is important, if you want your teams to be successful out there. And what is really important, is to have solid leadership managing those teams.

Strategically speaking, I believe the defense has the advantage out there. They have the height, they have the fields of fire, and they have the size of the vessel to work with. Any pirate up against an aggressive defense coming from such a platform, will have a tough time.  But that is why pirates are experimenting with wolf pack tactics. They can apply strength or combat power to one point on a vessel, and get the breach. Especially if they can occupy the rest of the defense of the vessel with the swarm and harassing fires. So to me, this is why it is so important that everyone gets the word about this potential threat, and really takes an honest look at their strategies and tactics for dealing with such a thing.

It is the same song and dance that I promote with the suicide assaulter tactic that enemies are using on land. You must study these attacks, and be honest with yourself about the effectiveness of your security plan. If you have a good learning organization within your team/company, and you apply Kaizen to the whole thing, you should do well. And never underestimate the enemy–know yourself, know your enemy. -Matt

 

wolfpackMaritime Security: Pirates Using Wolfpack Tactics Attacked Bulk Carrier With 12 Skiffs!

John Hamilton's painting of a wolf pack attack on merchant vessels.

IMB Piracy Report

Attack Number: 303-11

Date: Sat Aug 06 2011

Type of Vessel : Bulk Carrier

Location detail: Around 20nm ENE of Assab, Eritrea

Attack Type: Fired_Upon

Narrations: 06.08.2011: 1505 UTC: Posn: 13:07.2N – 043:04.9E, Around 20nm ENE of Assab, Eritrea, Red Sea.

Twelve skiffs with five to eight pirates in each skiff approached a bulk carrier underway. As the skiff closed guns and ladders were noticed. Warning flares were deployed by te onboard security team. the skiffs continued to approach the vessel at 17 knots. At a distance of around 300 meters, on th ecommand of the Master, the onboard security team fired warning shots resulting in most of the skiffs falling back and circling the vessel. Two skiffs continued to chase the vessel and returned fire. The skiffs and the security team exchanged fire and after 30minutes and numerous approaches the skiffs aborted and moved away.
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Attempted Pirate Attack in Red Sea Suggests Pirates Hunting in Packs?
Monday, August 8, 2011
According to a report filed Sunday August 7th by the IMB Live Piracy Reporting Centre*, pirates attacked a vessel approximately 20 nm off the coast of Eritrea in the Red Sea. What marks this attack out for special attention, and the reason it should be of particular concern to all shipping companies and members of the maritime community is that in this instance, it would appear the pirates attacked in large numbers, en masse.

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Legal News: Italy And Norway Produce National Regulations On The Use Of Armed Guards For Maritime Security

Jul 27

Posted by Matt in Italy, Letter Of Marque, Maritime Security, Norway | No Comments

Right on, and this is great news that countries are now starting to wake up about this stuff. I also think that this move to put armed guards on boats and backing that up with legal authority to do so, is actually helping to fuel the opinio juris of the world body that armed security is a good idea on these boats. If Italy or Norway thinks it’s a good idea, then other countries might be more inclined to do the same thing. I have also seen this change in attitude with places like the UN, Germany and the UK.

Now will armed guards on boats, eventually lead to states granting Letters of Marque? Who knows, but as armed guards on boats present certain unavoidable situations (like taking prisoners after sinking a pirate boat, killing pirates, killing innocents, clashes with other navies or armed guards, etc.) then further legislation might lead countries to just go back to the tried and true license called the LoM. In other words, if the sum of all of the laws created over time add up to being just a basic LoM, then why not just implement the LoM?

The Declaration of Paris (DoP) is old and outdated, and as we put more private armed guards on boats and states continue to pass laws allowing for such things, then why hold to the DoP? Especially as pirates continue to flourish, and navies continue to fail at stopping this virus. Stuff to think about, and bravo to Italy and Norway for doing the right thing. -Matt

National regulations on the use of armed guards
July 22, 2011
Italy

The Italian Decree no. 107, dated 12 July 2011, (Italian only) states the general principles of the deployment of military forces or private security guards onboard Italian Ships.
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Norway

On 29 June 2011, the Norwegian Government announced a new framework on the use of armed guards by amendments to Regulation 972/2004 on ship security and amendments to Regulation 904/2009 relative to arms. The changes came into force on 1 July 2011.
The new framework follows the IMO guidelines, and allows Norwegian owners to have armed guards onboard in a certain geographical area within the legal limits laid down. An owner wanting to place armed guards onboard must apply for authorization with Norwegian Police Authorities and provide necessary documentation to the Norwegian Maritime Directory. However, the owner is required to conduct an independent risk evaluation to prove the need for armed guards. In addition the owner must be able to show the Security Company’s documentation on procedures for training, qualification and storage and use of weapon.
The simultaneously issued Provisional Guidelines the use of armed guards  offer practical guidance on the interpretation of the new framework.
The minister of Trade and Industry states in a press release (Norwegian only) that the amendments do not imply an encouragement to have armed guards onboard Norwegians ships. The purpose is to control the selection and use of security companies to ensure the safety of Norwegian ships and their crew. He emphasizes that all other efforts to protect the ship and its crew must first be fulfilled before armed guards are used.
Link to post here.

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Maritime Security: The Gulf Of Guinea And Piracy

Jul 26

Posted by Matt in Gulf Of Guinea, Maritime Security | 1 Comment

Washington estimates the Gulf of Guinea will supply about a quarter of U.S. oil by 2015 and has sent military trainers to the region to help local navies secure shipping.

That quote up top is all you really need to know, when looking at how serious of a problem piracy could be for the world and for the US in the Gulf of Guinea. For that reason, I will start to focus more on that region, just because I have a hunch that we will see an increase in piracy there.

The thing is that these guys are learning from other successful models of piracy operation, and soon they too will achieve the same kind of success as the Somali pirates. Hell, I could imagine some Somali’s attempting to make an entry into that hunting territory. Although I am sure they will be edged out by equally aggressive criminals and investors. -Matt

Edit: I just came across this latest post by Tracking Energy Attacks.  This is a great website and they are using Ushahidi to map all of these energy related attacks around the world. The author also expressed concern about this region, and here is a clip from the post:

I’m a little more interested in the developments in the Gulf of Guinea where based on my count there have been 24 reported successful attacks with the bulk of them coming off of the coast of Benin. Less than 10 attempted but unsuccessful attacks were reported. Piracy is also apparently a growing concern for Southern Africa with numerous attempted attacks occuring off the coast of Tanzania and north of Madagascar. Such trends have global energy supply implications given that “six million tons of oil are transported around South Africa’s western coastline every month” as well as regional energy production implications.

Italian tanker Anema e Core seized by pirates off Benin
24 July 2011
Pirates have hijacked an Italian diesel tanker off Benin in western Africa in an attack of the kind more usually associated with Somalia.
Assailants boarded the RBD Anema e Core early on Sunday in the Gulf of Guinea, officials in Benin and Italy confirmed.
Two of the 23 crew are Italians, the others Filipinos and a Romanian.
Benin’s navy said it was following the hijacked ship while Italy’s foreign ministry liaised with its owner in Naples.
Three pirates managed to board the ship 23 nautical miles (43km) south of Cotonou, the economic capital of Benin, Italian media said.
“Everything is being done to trace the pirates as quickly as possible,” Maxime Ahoyo, commander of Benin’s navy, told reporters in Cotonou.
The Gulf of Guinea has become increasingly important for its potential energy reserves which have attracted international interests, BBC West Africa correspondent Thomas Fessy reports from Dakar.
The US, for example, hopes to import about a quarter of its oil supplies from the region by 2015.
West African coast guards have been receiving US training to combat growing maritime insecurity.
Most recent attacks on shipping around Africa have been off its east coast, where Somali pirates have ranged deep into the Indian Ocean, but the danger in the west was already identified several years ago.
Story here.
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FACTBOX-Key political risks in the Gulf of Guinea
Tue Jul 5, 2011
By Richard Valdmanis
A stretch of West Africa’s coast spanning more than a dozen countries, the Gulf of Guinea is a growing source of oil, cocoa and metals to world markets.
But rising rates of piracy, drug smuggling, and political uncertainty in an area ravaged by civil wars and coups have made it a challenging destination for investors seeking to benefit from the massive resources.
The Gulf of Guinea runs from Guinea on Africa’s northwestern tip to Angola in the south and includes Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Cameroon.

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Job Tips: SAMI Member Companies And Their Career Pages

Jul 26

Posted by Matt in Job Tips, Maritime Security, Uncategorized | No Comments

Ok ladies and gentlemen, I figured this would be a good resource for anyone interested. What I have done is to take every company that is a member of SAMI, and list them with their career sections.

The reason why I wanted to do this, is to direct applicants towards companies that actually care enough to sign on to a code of conduct and standard.  The list below is a very interesting mix of international companies, and you will recognize a couple from my last survey. The cool thing with this list, is these are actual maritime security companies or security companies, that have been approved by SAMI. This is also a big hint to clients of these companies, that you should direct your complaints to SAMI, to ensure quality is enforced.

The other cool thing about these companies, is that if you do gain employment with them, then you can direct your complaints to SAMI and demand that your company act in accordance to the codes and standards, or they get punished. SAMI is trying to promote itself as a group that can hold it’s members to a standard, and I thoroughly support this concept. I just hope they have the courage to do so.

Either way, I plan on making this a page up top so it is easy to get to. I can also modify, edit, and add more members up there. If you are the CEO or employee of one of the mentioned companies, and there is something incorrect or you would like to add something, just contact me or make a note in the comments section. You can do that here on this post, or on the page itself.

For those companies that are not SAMI members, let me know and I will put you down in the categories section ‘Private Naval Companies’ below, if you are not there already. Although I do reserve the right to ‘not include’ certain companies in either sections. I will probably be removing SAMI companies, and others as time goes by, just because if the word get’s out that you do not take care of your people, or that you have provided poor and reckless service to clients, then your company will not get promoted on this blog. -Matt

The SAMI List

Aspida (Greece)
www.aspida.org
Aspida is constantly looking for high caliber security professionals for deployment as part of our onboard security teams.
The ideal applicants should have a career in the special forces, be fluent in English and have a sincere love for ships and the sea.
If you are interested in a career at a company where skills, achievements and loyalty are highly valued and professional advancement is defined by meritocracy please send us your CV in English along with army discharge papers and training certificates to hr@aspida.org
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Atlas Inc. (UK)
www.atlasinc.co.uk
We require the minimum following qualifications before an applicant is considered by ATLAS. Military service discharge papers checked (for correct Military discharge).
ISPS Ships Security Officer Qualification.
STCW95 (Seafarers Training, Certification and Watchkeepers code 4 Part module, Fire Fighting, Elementry First Aid, Sea Survival Safety, Personal Safety and Social Responsibility.
ENG1 Medical qualified.
CV, reference check and interview.
info@atlasinc.co.uk

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