Recent high profile piracy incidents off the coast of Somalia have brought the problem of Maritime piracy to the consciousness of a larger number of people. However, international maritime piracy has been a problem since the advent of shipping. During the 1980s and 1990s, piracy was a major problem in the South China Sea. In fact, 2009 saw a five-year increase in attacks in that area alone.
The basis of most maritime anti-piracy security training programs is processes and procedures that can sometimes prevent piracy. For small craft, such as sailboats and power boats, those procedures may include avoiding areas where piracy is a major problem. For larger vessels, the procedures may include avoidance techniques and the proper sequence of application of other tools, including lethal and non-lethal countermeasures.
If avoidance and evasion fail, maritime anti-piracy security training can prepare you or your crew to use non-lethal countermeasures. A couple of common non-lethal countermeasures include high volume sound and high pressure water. High volume sound can be used on small personal craft, including sailboats and power boats, and on larger vessels. With high volume sound, the vessel in danger of piracy directs beams of extremely high volume sound toward pirate boats. In some cases, the sounds are so loud that they can deter the boat from its approach. On larger vessels, a high pressure pump, much like a fire hose, can direct a high pressure stream of water to knock personnel from approaching boats and deter piracy attempts. Maritime anti-piracy security training can cover the use of these, and other, non-lethal countermeasures.
In some cases, maritime anti-piracy security training may include training on lethal countermeasures. These most commonly include the use of firearms. For small craft, such as sailboats and power boats, firearms can serve as a deterrent and as a defense. On larger vessels, the use of lethal countermeasures may be limited by law and by company policy. Anti-piracy security training in the 1990s recommended that small craft carry shotguns. The visual impact of a large gun often proved to be a deterrent. In other cases, the sound of a shotgun discharging served as a deterrent. Shotguns were recommended because of maritime law and the requirement that firearms be locked up on entering port.
In most cases, you will be required to lock up any firearms on board your vessel on entering port. In international waters, the use and possession of firearms is only covered by the jurisdiction under which the vessel is registered. For example, a U.S. registered vessel may need to follow U.S. law with regard to the use and stowage of firearms. A Panamanian registered vessel may have to follow Panamanian law.
