The Value of Armed Security Teams

EU NAVFOR Figures Confirm Value of Armed Security Teams

  By David Rider, Neptune Maritime Security

Figures released December 1st by EU NAVFOR list just 12 attacks for the month of November in their area of operation. Whilst some sources have questioned such a low number of reported attacks, the figures themeslves make for interesting reading.

Courtesy of EUNAVFOR/Neptune Maritime Security

Although the data does not list lattitude and longitude positions for the attacks, they still demonstrate the considerable ‘reach’ Somali pirates have in surrounding waters despite the presence of the international naval force, with vessels being attacked 420 nautical miles off Mogadishu.

Of more interest, however, are the successful hijackings, with just two vessels taken by Somali pirates, both of which were fishing vessels. Although increasingly such vessels use armed Vessel Protection Teams (VPT), there is no data available regarding these two incidents. While the measures taken to avoid hijacking in five cases are listed as ‘unknown’, just one vessel cited Best Management Practice (BMP) as the reason for its successful escape from pirates. Meanwhile, the other five merchant vessels all credited Private Armed Security guards as the reason the attacks upon them failed.

Whilst this will not come as a surprise to anyone in the maritime security industry, it does reinforce the fact that so far, not a single vessel operating with an armed Vessel Protection Team has fallen into the hands of Somali pirates. With the UK government currently in discussion on how best to licence UK companies wishing to offer armed protection services to UK-flagged vessels, the success of such armed teams in November further proves the value of maritime security companies to the shipping industry.

As expected, the vessels which evaded attack in November were all ‘high value’ targets which could, if successfully hijacked, have provided their Somali captors with sizeable ransom payouts.
As maritime insurance companies begin to offer considerable policy discounts to clients who use armed VPTs to guard their vessels, such data cannot be ignored by shipping companies and countries who have yet to green light the use of armed security guards onboard merchant shipping.

Despite the end of the monsoon season, the anticipated surge in attacks has not yet arrived. Risk Intelligence, a Danish maritime intelligence company, cite continued bad weather in the Horn of Africa as potentially reducing the frequency of attacks. That, combined with pressure on land from local authorities (police in Somalia’s Puntland region recently arrested 150 suspected pirates), and military action against al Shabaab by the Kenyan military may well be impacting pirate activity.

Analysts are agreed, however, that vessels employing a layered approach to maritime security which includes both the use of BMP and armed VPTs along with shore-based intelligence as the best possible means to thwart pirate attacks.

As of December 2nd, EU NAVFOR list the following vessels as hijacked and in the hands of Somali pirates, along with an estimated 243 hostages:

Courtesy of EUNAVFOR/Neptune Maritime Security

[OL Note: MV Rosalia D'Amato and MT Gemini (except for 4 South Korean crew members), have since been released]

About Neptune Maritime Security:

Founded by decorated, former members of Her Majesty’s elite Special Boat Service (SBS) and supported by a team of international maritime legal experts, Neptune Maritime Security offers the kind of capabilities only the world’s most elite commercial maritime security specialist can provide. With over 30 years of experience in the field of amphibious counter-terrorism, Neptune Maritime Security’s team of highly trained, highly motivated specialists are supremely qualified in the area that concerns shipping companies most: safeguarding crew, cargo and corporate reputations For further details, please visit www.neptunemaritimesecurity.com.

The views stated are those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect those of OCEANUSLive.org.

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