We used to detest the idea of arming merchant ships. Our position has been swiftly eroded. Somali pirate attacks continue unabated, and the pirates have proved to be a ruthless bunch. We now believe that the use of private armed escorts, at least, is necessary for ships transiting the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Now, not all who are in the business are gung-ho types who would shoot from the hips. One of those who belong to the opposite mould is James Canning Sr, whose FTS – Maritime Security we gladly recommend to shipowners.
Mr Canning, a bemedaled former US Marine who saw action in Lebanon and Iraq, deplores the fact that the authorities are ‘talking more but acting less.’ In a single week recently, he says, four vessels were attacked and only one got away because it had armed guards on board. ‘Not one national naval vessel responded in time to any of the attacks,’ he points out. ‘Yet the US State Department is against the use of armed security, even though the maritime associations and the UN both agree it is needed. And in contrast to its own policy, the US Coast Guard/ Naval report on Piracy advises to use security and even requires US flagged vessels to use some security in dangerous areas.’
The bureaucrats can go on talking. Mr Canning will do what needs to be done. FTS – Maritime Security has been speaking to various shipping groups and may soon be in action in the Indian Ocean and other pirate-infested zones. The company is offering vessel escort service and top-notched security teams on a yearly contract basis. There are to be no added charges for each voyage, fuel charges being the only variable cost. Onboard security can be provided upon request – no additional expense for the client.
Mr Canning says they have secured permission to operate escort vessels – former US Navy fast attack boats – from the African coast to the coast of India. This will give FTS – Maritime Security the unique advantage of being on both sides of the Indian Ocean. Talks are under way for setting up a training facility in the IO area. All FTS personnel, regardless of experience and training, will undergo training there to ensure members all have the same level of training and can perform as a team on all missions.
One comforting thought for shipowners: FTS – Maritime Security has laid down very clear ‘rules of engagement’. Mr Canning’s men will be acting only in defense of the ship under protection and their own self-defense. Only defensive actions will be allowed toward any vessel which has shown hostile intent by firing upon the client’s vessel or the escort vessel. ‘We will be operating,’ says Mr Canning, ‘under Maritime Law and the laws of the country the escort vessels are flagged under. FTS will also be following the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers.’
Some will continue to argue against the use of private armed guards against pirates. And to be sure, there are non-lethal options available such as laser guns and water cannons. But the question really is simple. If even the Pope has armed guards (the Pontifical Swiss Guards carry not only swords but also small arms), why can’t shipowners have the same privilege for the protection of their ships and crews? ~Barista Uno
Mr. Canning is correct on all fronts. All the bureaucrats EVER do is talk, and hypocritically, at that! Armed security has already been proven. No vessel under armed guard or direct escort by an armed vessel has been successfully pirated. We need more companies like FTS in order to keep the pirates at bay, and stop the increase of dead or wounded innocent hostages. Especially since no government agencies will do what REALLY needs to be done, which is to exterminate the pirates’ nest.
As one of the many sailors who also used to detest the idea of arming merchant ships, I absolutely agree with this. I especially agree with relegating the physical security of merchant vessels to professional security people, whether private or governmental. Merchant mariners are truck drivers (or bus drivers, in my case), not marines. We don’t have the training to pretend otherwise. But it’s time that commercial and private vessels of every flag cease to be soft targets.
It is interesting for me to see a steady change towards arming. For two years I sailed as Chief Officer and Master from US/Canada (4 ports) to West Africa (11 ports). The pirates were active in most ports. We never had any problems. We had shotguns and side arms, made deck patrols wearing hard hats with weapons very visible. Some ports objected however we pointed out that if they stopped the piracy we would not need to patrol!! End of discussion. In the Congo (Zaire) I wore a side arm at all times, even standing on the dock in Matadi, as we loaded highly valuable cargos from railroad freight cars guarded by Congolese(former Zaire)soldiers. Never a problem, perhaps speaking French helped. With the various governments quite uselass it is either arm or refuse to sail that route.
Good Watch.
The comments are true to the best of my knowledge of the area. We are agents of various maritime security agents and from the reports we have around Somalia’s Piracy Zones, a bleak picture needs to be complemented with good initiatives.
The option against piracy recommended by Mr. Canning is one of the best yet presented. The idea of a seafarer armed to do piracy watch or security is a no no. Seafaring is a specialized task with a lot of training, as well as security being a specific type of work. While both are concerned with safety, the idea of arming a seafarer does not jibe with the essence of the responsibility of safety as embodied in a seafarer’s task. Adding pirate security to the task of a seafarer would open demands for an increase in pay because of the increase in responsibility. Which is just fair.
The navies of the rich nations appear to be a show-off instead of a deterrent in the piracy areas.
mbcuanzon articulated my thoughts exactly. Mariners are not trained for security operations, and it is a very specialized field best left to those with that training. Quite frankly the thought of arming some of the mariners I’ve met makes me uncomfortable.
In my mind armed security is one of the best pirate deterrents so that merchant vessels can make a stand if escape is hopeless.