Feral Jundi

This is funny. BIMCO was one of the signators of that letter on the request to use UN guards on boats.  I guess that idea went out the window? Or maybe that was a political ploy to get governments to act on the legalities of armed guards on boats, because the alternative of using blue helmets was a bridge too far?

As to the idea of setting up some contract guidelines that covers all of the basis for armed guards on boats, is great. Anything that helps to alleviate the legal issues on these vessels and during transits, just so we can continue to get more guards on these vessels. Although I would highly suggest to BIMCO to not be biased towards purely using British security companies.

The reason why I say that is because of this quote:

Noakes estimates that between 6,000 and 7,000 personnel would be needed to deploy four-man armed teams on around 50% of vessels transiting the Indian Ocean or Gulf of Aden. But that number of professional operatives does not exist.

I disagree with Noakes on this matter. There are plenty of operatives to use, but that would require opening up the market to bring in US and/or other Nationalities. But for US companies specifically, the infrastructure, manpower, management, and most of all, experience in high threat operations is there. US companies have also been operating in two wars, and multiple other countries in this war for the last 10 years. Hell, just look at the last USCENTCOM report if you want an idea on the numbers of contractors, and our flexibility.

It is a ridiculous assumption to say that the industry cannot handle filling in these guard positions. Especially with today’s global mess of an economy, and especially with this massive pool of unemployed combat veterans. But yet again, in order to tap into this pool of resources, that would require being more inclusive towards this market of force.

Not everyone can be Royal Marines or SAS/SBS. Nor can everyone you hire be a Navy SEAL or CAG.  But you can find plenty of veterans with tons of combat experience in these wars, that can certainly handle a weapon and pull guard duty on a boat. You can also find plenty of companies out there that can certainly answer the call and fill a contract.

On the other hand, you get what you pay for.  If you want to attract the organized and experienced PSC’s and PMC’s that I am talking about, then you are going to have to pay a reasonable price to get them. If you want to go cheap, then of course you are going to have problems. But that can be alleviated as well, by just passing on the costs to your customers. You just have to look at your security as something that is as important and as vital as a mechanic or ship’s captain. Plus, 100 percent success rate for armed guards repelling pirate attacks is a hard statistic to argue against. If it works, then ramp it up and get armed guards on boats. –Matt

Guards Must Be Regulated, Says Bimco
November 4th, 2011
Bimco plans to introduce an armed-guard contract as fears grow that scores of second-rate companies are jumping on the piracy bandwagon.
The move comes as UK prime minister David Cameron confirmed that the UK is reversing its position and in future armed guards will be permitted on ships flying the Red Ensign.
Giles Noakes, Bimco’s chief maritime-security officer, says the new contract is to protect the interests of shipowners using privately contracted armed security personnel.
“We have been forced into a position where large numbers of owners and operators are using armed guards,” said Noakes.
“Unfortunately, growth is exponential and there are a large number of cowboys out there jumping on the bandwagon.”
The new contract will be aimed at ensuring that armed-guard companies follow the guidelines to owners in the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) MSC Circular 1405.
The circular is designed to provide “hoops” that security companies must jump through to prove they are capable of doing the job.

Noakes claims that only around a dozen of 160 or so armed-guard companies in the market could negotiate successfully every hoop.
He said: “Unfortunately, I am not sure how fast we can move before the first disaster occurs.”
Some companies are offering ships two guards with a shotgun.
The Bimco security boss’s concern is about a “negligent” firearm discharge by a guard that seriously injures a key crew member or the master.
The shipowner faces being sued for millions of dollars but the security company may have no third-party liability insurance, which is a requirement of MSC Circular 1405.
“You are going to come a cropper,” warned Noakes at a Capital Link shipping and offshore corporate social responsibility (CSR) forum in London.
The very reason for using armed guards is a duty of care to seafarers. It is “hypocrisy” for owners to employ armed guards and not follow the circular.
Noakes estimates that between 6,000 and 7,000 personnel would be needed to deploy four-man armed teams on around 50% of vessels transiting the Indian Ocean or Gulf of Aden. But that number of professional operatives does not exist.
Peter Swift, former managing director of Intertanko, and now chairman of the industry’s Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme, notes that in the last five years some 4,000 seafarers have been hijacked, with about 250 currently being held hostage.
In that period, 70,000 seafarers have been subject to attacks, with 100,000 sailing every day either in or toward “piracy-infested waters”.
However, Swift says the downside of the commerical world arming its ships is that governments start walking away from providing naval support.
Instead of the nearly 30 naval vessels used to provide cover for commercial transits and the World Food Programme, there are now less than 18 as states succumb to budget cuts or grow weary of providing military support.
“What we don’t want is a very plausible scenario where we get no government support and we are expected to protect ourselves in international waters when engaged in legitimate international trade,” said Swift.
No ship with armed guards on board has so far been hijacked. It was reported this week that the 74,600-dwt SCF Group (formerly Sovcomflot) tanker SCF Plymouth (built 2011) survived a pirate attack with the aid of armed guards.
The International Ship Managers’ Association (InterManager) also welcomed Cameron’s call for armed guards on UK-flag vessels.
Story here.
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About BIMCO
BIMCO is the largest of the international shipping associations representing ship-owners controlling around 65 percent of the world’s tonnage and with members in more than 120 countries drawn from a broad range of stakeholders having a vested interest in the shipping industry, including managers, brokers and agents. ??The association’s main objective is to protect its global membership through the provision of quality information and advice, and while promoting fair business practices, facilitate harmonisation and standardization of commercial shipping practices and contracts. In support of its commitment to promote the development and application of global regulatory instruments, BIMCO is accredited as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) with all relevant United Nations organs. ??In an effort to promote its agenda and objectives, the association maintains a close dialogue with Governments and diplomatic representations around the world including maritime administrations, regulatory institutions and other stakeholders within the areas of EU, the USA and Asia.
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Global Shipping Industy calls for UN armed force against Somali pirates

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”.
The letter states: “It is now abundantly clear to shipping companies that the current situation, whereby control of the Indian Ocean has been ceded to pirates, requires a bold new strategy. To be candid, the current approach is not working.”
Regretting the increasing necessity for shipping companies to employ private armed guards to protect crew and ships, the letter continues: “It seems inevitable that lawlessness ashore in Somalia will continue to breed lawlessness at sea.”
The shipping industry organisations – which represent more than 90% of the world merchant fleet – say they fully support the UN’s long-term measures on shore aimed at helping the Somali people but are concerned that these “may take years, if not decades, to have a meaningful impact on piracy.”
Asking the UN to bring the concept of a UN force of armed military guards to the attention of its Security Council, the letter says: “The shipping industry believes that the situation can only be reversed with a bold approach that targets the problem in manageable pieces. We believe that an important element in this approach would be the establishment of a UN Force of Armed Military Guards that can be deployed in small numbers onboard merchant ships. This would be an innovative force in terms of UN peacekeeping activity but it would do much to stabilise the situation, to restrict the growth of unregulated, privately contracted armed security personnel and to allow those UN Member States lacking maritime forces – including those in the region most immediately affected – to make a meaningful contribution in the area of counter-piracy.”

Story here.