For its part, MAST has been trading since 2005 and has now completed over 2,500 successful armed and unarmed counter piracy transits in support of the commercial shipping sector. These events have taken place in High Risk Areas (HRAs) such as the Gulf of Aden and the Gulf of Guinea.
Each year, around 25,000 vessels transit through the Gulf of Aden alone. It’s a region which includes parts of the Red Sea, the Somali basin, the Arabian Sea and large areas of the Indian Ocean, making it one of the busiest shipping zones in the world that harbours around 25% of global trade.
It’s also a region heavily targeted by pirates.
Over recent months, international navies including the Royal Navy have been successful in disrupting pirate activity in these HRAs. However, one knock-on effect has been an increase in the level of violence used by pirates even more desperate to achieve their aims. As a result, many ship owners and operators have called for armed security officers to protect shipping in the area, and for greater support at Government level.
The pressure is such that the International Maritime Organisation, which has always defended its stance on not supporting armed officers, published a circular entitled ‘Interim Guidance to Ship Owners, Ship Operators and Shipmasters on the use of Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel on board Ships in the High Risk Area’.
Key issues to be addressed
Before ship operators can contract armed personnel to protect their crew members and vessels there are a number of issues that first need to be addressed.
First and foremost is the law governing the use of armed personnel of the flag state of the vessel, whether it be a ‘Flag of Convenience’ or one emanating from the registered country. If the law of the flag state doesn’t allow weapons on board, then the company cannot employ armed security officers – to do so would render any insurance null and void.
Likewise, some insurance companies don’t allow armed teams. Companies need to comply with the state laws of the countries visited, and also with directives laid down by international regulatory bodies.
Most maritime security experts would argue that, without weapons, it’s very difficult to defend a vessel properly, particularly in a High Risk Area. Pirates are also constantly improving and diversifying their tactics to overcome vessels.
While the Royal Navy and other international navies play a crucial role in deterring and monitoring piracy, there are simply too few vessels to provide a suitable defence across the whole region.
First notice on intelligence
The first notice maritime security teams normally receive on this intelligence is once pirates have attempted to board or attacked a vessel. That being the case, those teams are always one step behind but are then totally self-reliant.
If force is used by maritime security teams it must only be as a last resort and proportionate in nature. Any necessary escalation must only come when there’s no other way to avoid the danger.
The main barrier to arming maritime security professionals is the international community’s acceptance of transiting the high seas with weapons. MAST is a signatory of the International Code of Conduct and operates in accordance with flag and port state laws, IMO Guidance, UNCLOS and SUA, and has contributed to the development of the maritime security industry through engagement with the UK Government and the UN.
We believe there should be improved regulation and governance within the industry for individuals and companies which ought to include mandatory training. This training process should be overseen by external regulating bodies from the maritime industry or possibly by way of self-regulation from within the industry (which, in turn, will bring about a culture of improved accountability). This would ensure operators display the highest professional standards.
Philip Cable is CEO of MAST (Maritime Asset Security and Training)
About MAST
- Maritime Asset Security and Training (MAST) is a leading security organisation that provides specialist security services for the maritime community. With client satisfaction and a robust approach to standards at its core, MAST has a global infrastructure with offices in Malta, the United Kingdom, Germany, Djibouti, Oman, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and China.
- MAST specialises in providing innovative solutions for a wide range of security problems and offers a range of services including armed protection for commercial ships, contingency response and hijack negotiation, maritime safety and security training, crisis management, explosives ordnance disposal capabilityand a specialist Mega -Yacht security system design and installation service.
- The organisation is committed to the regulation of the security industry and has been at the forefront of working with Governments and industry bodies to achieve this.
- MAST’s business culture and cautious yet thorough approach to the provision of security leads to a clear ethos of professionalism, integrity and respect
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