What Should be Done About Pirates?

The rules of engagement need to be reassessed for vessels approaching without proper hailing procedures. I cannot believe that surrendering your ship and putting the lives of your crew is "cheaper than arming" with a couple of .50 cal. machine guns in the hands of trained personnel. 'Fend Off' warnings at a safe distance should be followed by lethal response if ignored. Even the old wooden merchant and whaling ships had a few guns to ward off small time pirates, and I think this practice needs to be resumed.

Blow a few of them out of the water, the rest will get the idea 'real soon'.

Apparently it is an insurance company windfall as they jack up rates for unprotected ships.

I hear that some barbed wire on sticks would make boarding more difficult.

It is getting pretty hard to understand how something the length and breadth of a double hulled oil tanker can get overtaken and hijacked, and held for ransom by some kids in a Zodiac with a few assault rifles.

I haven't figured this out.

Hey Transcendian,

Good point! Bothers me a bit too. But then I am a Nam vet. Killing is not something civilians are accustomed to. That said, I am a peaceful man, but can and will exact any tool against an aggressor. Let them eat lead.

I have a design that will work, being a naval officer and aware of the methods that these pirates use, I can set up a system that will keep these scoundrels away from boarding any vessels they intend to board at the high seas.

I only need to group with some company that will take me along to design this system. NO ARMOUR, NO GUNS, relax and pass on a safe voyage to your destination.

Gosh, we could try to create an economy that provides them with REAL jobs. Oh yeah, and let's not forget the RE-EDUCATION (I've already done some work in this area). Without cooperation and compassion, why should anything change?

Suzhoulaohong

An excellent point.

Over exploitation of resources and week government has left them with piracy as one of the few career choices.

Lets give them a choice by investing in their future.

Why couldn't the ships be fitted with an Active Denial System. It's a non lethal system that projects intense heat and can be focused from 550 yards.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_denial_system

Him maybe an easy fix...

TAZMOLL

The active denial system is too expensive and will not be allowed on board MERCHANT vesels, it could get into wrong hands as this system is not meant for operations by all civilian organizations. Ther are countries where this system will not be allowed for sale. The active denial system is focused onto the target man, when more then 2 boats approach then there is a problem, also the point of contact gets obscurred when they stream their craft alongside the underway vessel.

My system has none of these implications, barred wires are nothing to stop the pirates. My system will shoo away all insurance companies, Piracy is not only in the gulf of Aden or the mouth of the Arabian sea, its quite frequent in the straits of malaca. One never hears their woes.

Oh, yeah, I heard one problem with arming Merchant Ships had to do with prohibitions against this in ports of call.

They should be paid off with gift certificates for Aaaaaarby's.

Arrrrby's

Ok this system is already in use and seems effective.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,385048,00.html

TAZMOLL

Pirates should be dealt with the same way it was done in the 14th to 19th centuries. On the high seas, the captain is the rule of law. He has the right to execute anyone he wishes as long as he is in international waters. I don't know if laws have changed since re: captain's law. It seems to me that a ship operating in international waters, should have a means of self defense at it's disposal. The captain of an airplane is in he same position as the captain of a ship. He should be in a position to protect at all costs the well being of all under his control, passengers and crew. Pirates have no regard for law of any kind and should be dealt with under the severest means available, including death.

Cattle rustling and horse stealing were offenses that were dealt with under frontier law.

Currently the international law on high Piracy is not defined and no aggressive acts to be undertaken by using fire arms have been written, a captain is a captain and he has the full authority in the international waters to act in accordance with the safety of crew, vessel and cargo. Apprenhension of dangerous crew these days seems to have faded as the number of crews on modern cargo vessels have been drastically reduced due to full automation.

Modern vessels have a smooth surface and friendly fittings on decks which make the pirates landing extremely comfortable, this makes the Captains life most uneasy, the only thing that the captain can order is the total locking of all bulkhead doors, port holes locked and closed during passage through these pirate infested zones. Which becomes useless when they start breaking these doors and port holes, since they have hours to do it.

My design is non-lethal, effective and most annoying to pirates, permissable to all ports and cost effective.

Zya, have you made an effort to partner with some shipping company that would benefit from your system?

I realize you can't disclose the details here without losing your chance to benefit. Maybe someone here can give you advice about how to get your product out.

Hi,

No shipping companies have been contacted so far, I had passed this suggestion to you all on the CR4 in hope some company would come forth, then forward my proposal, however a finders fee in the event of success has been thought of.

This design is a permanent fixture, has to be done with the ship either in dock or alongside for minor repairs. Vessels operating through the Red Sea and the Malacca straits would be the ships benefiting this system, this would surely save the companies million of dollars from the ransom and insurance fees, and of all the SAFETY OF CREW is PARAMOUNT.

Arming the crew (+ minimal training) with a decent watch kept when in dangerous waters should allow pirates to be kept away.

Arms can be locked up securely when in port to conform to local country requirements.

Pirates are predators. Any resistance from a ship and they tend to seek easier prey.

Surely this can't be too expensive for ship owners to do. One of a fleet held to ransom would cost far more than making the fleet pirate resistant.

How about installing high pressure water jets on the weather decks in areas leading to manned spaces. It can be connected into the firemain and controlled from the bridge. Cost to install would not be all that great. I got this idea from the saltwater washdown system used on Navy vessels.

Like it. A GA is appropriate