Interesting little article. It kind of reminds me of how some German shipping companies are registering under flags of convenience in order to accomplish the goal of getting armed security on a boat. Desperate times require desperate measures.
Still, I had no idea that guards on some of these boats were being instructed to throw their weapons overboard before coming into port. It makes sense to a degree, but it still makes me wince that a weapon is being treated like a disposable razor. Perhaps a new market might emerge for renting guns out in international waters? That way these weapons could continue to be of good use to those that need them. (although maybe that is illegal–who knows?)
Also, a few companies were listed in this article worth mentioning. They are the OrchidGroup, WhisperingBell, and ControlRisks. –Matt
Firearms an odd casualty of piracy
Bradley Hope
Feb 6, 2011
Thousands of guns are being dumped in the ocean by private security companies hired to protect ships against pirate attacks, top security executives say.
As Somali pirates grow bolder and launch attacks further into the Indian Ocean, shipping companies and yacht owners are increasingly using armed security to protect their vessels.
But there are varying laws and regulations about taking weapons into ports across the region, leading some security companies to cut costs and save time by getting rid of their guns before arriving in various countries’ territorial waters.
“This is happening on a daily basis,” said Richard Skinner, the Dubai director at the security company the Orchid Group. “I suspect there are literally thousands of semi-automatic and automatic weapons down there at the bottom of the Red Sea for fish to swim around.”