Vessel security, Are They Mercenaries?

Maritime Topics Maritime Security
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Shipping companies have a certain expectation that if they are operating legitimately in the territorial waters of another nation, they will be afforded reasonable protection. Generally, the merchant shipping community receives this protection through law enforcement, coast guard or naval assets that are tasked to ensure that the waters they are operating in are reasonably clear of hostile or criminal elements.

The Yemeni Coast Guard has received significant support from the USA, and potentially other nations. This aid was provided, in the form of patrol vessels and funding, to reduce the risks associated with piracy, terrorism and from other criminal elements. Now there are reports that a private group of companies will, through an arrangement, charge vessels for an escort through Yemeni territorial waters with these vessels and the Yemeni Coast Guard / Navy being involved.

Those who work in the shipping industry should be seeing some red flags at this point.

Why should a shipping company enter into a contract (for any sum) for a service that they should rightfully insist upon? While a direct escort may not be possible, there is an element of potential double dipping that needs to be clarified at this point.

At the same time, there needs to be a clear understanding of the instructions given to these companies and escorting vessels. The claims are that they are using active coast guard personnel. If so, who has the primary authority over their use? Is the shipping company at risk of losing its escort when another situation arises? Is the situation such that the forces there are willing to forego the reasons for which they were given the vessels in return for generating profit for a private entity and covering some of its own operating costs?

There needs to be an accounting for the use of public funds in this case. Did the previous or current administrations understand that those assets could be used by the private sector for profit? And, if so, how much of the money is being recovered back to the public purse from those private entities—if any. The people in the USA deserve no less.

At the same time, the various administrations that are providing public funds in support of the Yemeni Coast Guard may want to seek some kinds of assurance that their funds are being put to good use and that the arrangements do not undermine their own strategic interests in the area. And if they do, perhaps a message should be passed on to the private sector companies that are supporting this arrangement that they are operating against the intents of their governments?

From a professional standpoint, one must be careful not to jump to conclusions. It is also important to understand that things may not be completely as they appear and that all parties have a right to be heard in order to ensure people can make informed decisions.

On the other hand, you have to ask yourself if it walks like a duck, swims like a duck, quacks like a duck and behaves like a duck…at what point can you just call it a duck and be done with it?

In either case, the situation in Yemen warrants an explanation.

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My government is supposed to act on my behalf, not make the decisions for me. The primary means of defense should be found aboard the vessel. In order for that to happen I need to be adequately armed, if the circumstances warrant a firearm, then so be it.

While you make some good points that should be investigated further, quite a bit of what you are talking about is a bunch of red tape bullshit between governments. While our governments determine, “what is best for us”, it’s our asses that are hanging defenseless in the wind while trying to do our job.

COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE

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Cal,
I agree that our government should take steps to protect the seafarer. The point really is, if the US taxpayer is shelling out millions to the Yemen government to build them vessels and train their Coast Guard to patrol their waters, why are the shipping companies again paying them for the service that is supposed to already be in place? I don’t mean one on one escorts, but they are to be patrolling their waters and conducting enforcement operations with the large amounts of money they are already receiving. Instead, they are accepting side money to conduct escorts, and ignoring other illegal activity in their waters.

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Who are you agreeing with here? While I think the government should play a role, I don’t think they should dictate to the companies or to the mariners what they can or cannot do to protect themselves and their cargoes.

Too much politicking and not enough actual problem solving. I get it, the money being paid to the Yemeni Government to do a job is a thorn in your side because it sounds as if it’s a corrupt system. I’m not going to hop on a soap box here but there’s a whole lot in the US Government that is corrupt, doesn’t work the way it should, and doesn’t help the citizens it was intended to help. That is our reality.

While your approach may be a good one and who knows, maybe it’s the best one. I’ve seen the government bastardize too many other things that had good intent but they took the bad and discarded the good. Don’t tie the mariner’s hands and prevent them from defending themselves while governments figure out what they’re going to do.

Let’s remember, this isn’t a new problem, it’s been going on for many, many years. While the days of Blackbeard the pirate are long gone and those circumstances have been solved, new ones cropped up and haven’t been properly addressed. It’s just in the limelight now because of the Maersk Alabama.

What’s it going to take? The Somali pirates holding true to their threats, to capture an American vessel and execute the crew? If that happens, every one in the Government and the Security Professionals needs to be completely and utterly ashamed of themselves.

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Cal,
I am agreeing that our government should take steps to protect the American seafarer, what I am bringing to the table, is our tax dollars should not be wasted on a Coast Guard that is renting themselves out to the highest bidder. In the US you could never pay our coast guard to do their job on a private basis because they do their job because it is their mandate. If we pay our tax dollars to support the Yemen coast guard to provide ships, training and fuel, why would a shipping company have to pay them under the table again to protect them?

We are paying hundreds of millions of dollars for the protection out of our pockets, so why do you have to pay again for the protection our tax dollars are already paying?

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[quote=seamarshals;27094]Cal,
I am agreeing that our government should take steps to protect the American seafarer, what I am bringing to the table, is our tax dollars should not be wasted on a Coast Guard that is renting themselves out to the highest bidder.[/quote]

Just read your profile and took a look at the website. What you are bringing to the table is that they are in direct competition with you and double dipping.

So you’re on the receiving end of those crappy politics. We want to have a good relationship with the Yemeni’s and here is a good way we can give our citizen’s peace of mind that we are addressing the issue.

I agree that it’s crap. But more legislation and restrictions that focus on the mariner aren’t going to solve the problem. Your thread started out about adequate and proper security. Our government needs to mandate training and proper security, rules need to be followed. We have enough damn rules.

They have an unfair advantage, they’re being paid twice. I understand your complaint. But don’t turn that complaint into more problems for the Mariner.

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Actually my complaint is not about competition as our solution is much different than theirs. take a look at this article: http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/201028.php

This is our tax dollars paid and the reason they were paid, however, I don’t agree with my tax dollars going to obvious corruption.