Question for Henning - hijackers

woodstock

woodstock

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Henning

I was talking with friends of mine recently about cruise ships and the convo turned to the east coast of Africa/all the hijackings. They said that the various cruise ships that have been hijacked (I didn't know there were so many?) haven't been so bad for the passengers - they treat them well, disembark, put them up in a hotel, the hijackers get their ransom money and then let everyone go and all and sundry have a good bar story.

That sounds rather glib! Although crazy enough to be possible. Any of the hijacking stories I've heard sound like gun battles and I sure as hell wouldn't want to be on a cruise ship in that area.

Are cruise ships targeted and have the cruise lines started to avoid the region?
 
A google search came up with 2 recent attacks- one in 2005 where they just ran away and one in April 2009 where they apparently fended them off (had a security crew on board). If there's more...they are keeping them hushed up pretty well. 1000+ pax won't all keep silent.

I'd think that cruise ships would find some place else to cruise around than where pirates prowl- it'd generally bad for business to be pirated.

OTOH, someone posted a cute fictional itinerary where a ship cruises around Somalia to attract pirates so the passengers could shoot at them.
 
Right now I have a friend spending the holidays with us who is in the Merchant Marine. He was telling me on his cruises to the middle east they would pick up a Navy security detachment in Spain when they entered the Med and they would go with them to Bahrain then come back with them and get dropped off back in Spain.

He said his last trip through the Gulf of Adan they were approached by three Pirate boats. They Navy security crew fired several shots with a 50 cal gun across their bows and they turned and ran.

Most of these pirates are in small boats. If someone is going to operate in the area why not have a security force on the boat and armed? Some well aimed 50 cals or a RPG launcher would deter these guys from boarding.
 
Rotor- I don't think your friend was talking about cruise ships. I'm not saying the information from your friend is incorrect; it doesn't match the situation in the original post.
 
Cap'n Jack said:
Rotor- I don't think your friend was talking about cruise ships. I'm not saying the information from your friend is incorrect; it doesn't match the situation in the original post.
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My point being the solution to this is rather simple. Put a security team on any ships operating in the area.
 
Yes, it seems that if you could assemble some teams of ex-military guys to ride on commercial ships through the worst areas, you could eliminate most of the threat. Seems like a .50 cal through the hull of a lot of those pirate "boats" would sink them. Let's face it, guys on a commercial vessel vs. pirates in a boat would have the high ground.
 
Rotor&Wing said:
My point being the solution to this is rather simple. Put a security team on any ships operating in the area.
Click to expand...
You are correct in general...but for a cruise ship? Just avoid the area. Lots of interesting places to see without real pirate attacks. That solves the problem too.

A glance at cruise line itineraries on line would indicate if cruise lines do go though the area (except, perhaps, for repositioning, and I hope they don't bring pax through the area- that's more adventure than most of the people on ships can stand). The major lines I've seen don't seem to cruise through that area...but I've never actively looked either.
 
Jack Spectre said:
Yes, it seems that if you could assemble some teams of ex-military guys to ride on commercial ships through the worst areas, you could eliminate most of the threat. Seems like a .50 cal through the hull of a lot of those pirate "boats" would sink them. Let's face it, guys on a commercial vessel vs. pirates in a boat would have the high ground.
Click to expand...
I like the 5" gun myself.....
 
So when's Henning going to reply to this? I'm interested to hear his take.
 
He has commented extensively on this subject before. IIRC, he thinks arming the ships is futile, it's impossible to defend all of them and the hijackers will simply up the ante, increase the level of their armaments and make the situation worse. But what does he know?

Ted DuPuis said:
So when's Henning going to reply to this? I'm interested to hear his take.
Click to expand...
 
The problem with armed crews staying on the boats is the armed crewmen/weapons aren't welcomed in certain ports of call. Hence the loading and offloading of defensive crews.
 
woodstock said:
Henning

I was talking with friends of mine recently about cruise ships and the convo turned to the east coast of Africa/all the hijackings. They said that the various cruise ships that have been hijacked (I didn't know there were so many?) haven't been so bad for the passengers - they treat them well, disembark, put them up in a hotel, the hijackers get their ransom money and then let everyone go and all and sundry have a good bar story.
Click to expand...

I'm not going to say your friend is FOS, but.... I've never heard of such an outcome.
 
Firearm laws in foreign ports of call restrict having firearms aboard commercial vessels. If you dock in their port you are bound by their overly restrictive laws of LEGAL GUN POSSESION. This leaves cruise ships and merchant men defenseless except for the noise cannons and the like.
 
bbchien said:
I like the 5" gun myself.....
Click to expand...

Armageddon Aviator said:
This is the answer:

PHALANX


:D
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I think we have a solution. :D

I don't get it. Pirates, hoped up on drugs are hijacking private ships holding them for ramson. Why wouldn't every ship in the area be armed to the teeth for defense action? When did defending yourself (or your property)against armed aggression become politically incorrect?

Dead pirates can't hurt you or attack anyone else.
 
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Merchant ships are thin skinned... And they tend to have fuel bunkers just inside the hull skin down hear the waterline... One RPG and poof... This is why the shippers do not want to up-the-ante in the arms race... And, up till now the insurance companies and the national governments have paid the bills... So, why get folks killed?
This could all change overnight if the insurers and the governments decide not to pay anymore...

denny-o
 
Dr. O said:
Merchant ships are thin skinned... And they tend to have fuel bunkers just inside the hull skin down hear the waterline... One RPG and poof... This is why the shippers do not want to up-the-ante in the arms race... And, up till now the insurance companies and the national governments have paid the bills... So, why get folks killed?
This could all change overnight if the insurers and the governments decide not to pay anymore...

denny-o
Click to expand...

So what happens when the pirates get more and more millions of dollars? Retire to the Azores? They'll keep expanding their operations until the insurance companies won't cover ships in that area anymore. Then there'll be pressure to exterminate the threat. I'm guessing it's not at critical mass just yet.
 
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