Water cannons with enough force to shoot 1,400 gallons a minute are a nonlethal method of deterring pirates. They are capable of knocking over any person within 100 yards and flooding a small pirate vessel relatively quickly. Mobility denial systems which spray a slippery foam onto the surface of pirate ships make it virtually impossible to move or walk, and are another nonlethal option for pirate protection.
High-powered acoustic weapons are capable of sending messages to pirates at distances too great for them to hold a position of surprise. They can also blast a highly irritating deterrent tone which can damage hearing, and even cause permanent hearing loss. A captain in distress or under attack by a suspected pirate vessel should always contact the closest maritime authority, and control centers on land of their position and situation. Although help may not be in the immediate vicinity, most countries using the shipping lanes also have a military presence.
Having superior firepower over attacking pirates would certainly be an obvious technique to keep them at bay. Problems with this approach include ship crew members not being trained with assault weapons, and shipping companies frowning on the use of ballistic weapons, especially in the presence of flammable cargo, like oil or gasoline.
Captains and crews are now trained to provide more lookouts while at sea, especially while in dangerous waters. Swedish water cannon manufacturer Unifire is teaming up with defense contractor Raytheon to develop short range radar to detect small pirate vessels before they pose a threat. Pirates usually approach the side of a vessel with grappling hooks, at the point where the deck is closest to the water. The International Maritime Bureau suggests protecting these accessible areas of the ship with barbed wire.
