Marine Log - November 2008 - (Page 68)

ARMED & DANGEROUS: Pirates are heavily armed with automatic weapons and Rocket-Propelled Grenades fully hijacked. “The Coalition does not have the resources to provide 24-hour protection for the vast number of merchant vessels in the region,” said Admiral Gortney. “The shipping companies must take measures to defend their vessels and their crews.” The Maritime Security Patrol Area was established in support of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) call for international assistance to discourage attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Gulf of Aden. The MSPA is a geographic area in the Gulf of Aden utilized by Combined Maritime Forces to focus their efforts against de-stabilizing activities. These activities include, but are not limited to: criminal activities, drug smuggling operations that support terrorist and violent extremist organizations, and human smuggling. Coalition forces patrol the MSPA, which is not marked or defined by visual navigational means, on a routine basis. MERCENARIES Admiral Gortney’s suggestion was not at first taken kindly by the pin-striped gents who provide the public face of international shipping. An industry statement spoke of being was “dismayed” by the comments. “Since 9/11,” said the statement, “the international shipping industry has spent billions of dollars to comply with stringent new security requirements, agreed by the international community to address concerns about terrorism. Yet when merchant ships—which carry 90% of world trade and keep the world economy moving— are subject to attack by violent pirates, the response of many governments is that it is not their problem and that ships should hire mercenaries to protect themselves.” However, having harumphed, there are signs that at least a few shipowners are quietly going out and hiring security professionals to ride their ships— though they are not talking about it. Meantime, more security firms are ready to offer their services. The Hart Group, for example, has teamed with a Lloyd’s market insurance broker that is offering reduced war risk premiums for ships in the Gulf of Aden that carry Hart security teams. And Blackwater is offering to protect ships using its vessel the McArthur, a former NOAA vessel with helicopter-carrying capability. The legal situation surrounding per68 MARINE LOG NOVEMBER 2006 www.marinelog.com http://www.bollingershipyards.com http://www.bollingershipyards.com http://www.marinelog.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Marine Log - November 2008

Marine Log - November 2008 Contents Editorial Second Thoughts Update Inside Washington Looking Back at 130 Years Generation NeXt What's Ahead? Media Kit 2009 Defying the Naysayers Rampant Piracy Takes Shipping Hostage The Last Chapter of the New Carissa International Workboat Show Preview Newsmakers Tech News Contracts Events Website Directory ML Buyer's Guide ML Marketplace Marine Salvage

Marine Log - November 2008

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