I wrote this comment piece for the Guardian on PM David Cameron’s announcement that a) piracy is a “stain” on the world and an insult to international trade and b) British-flagged ships would now be allowed to carry licensed armed guards. The licensing would be done by the Home Office. No mention of any accompanying legislation so given the furious complexity of most modern ships – flagged in one nation, captain and crew from another, owner from another, classification society (shippers’ MOTs) from another – it is unclear under what law these private security people operate. That’s “operate” not “would operate” because there are plenty out there already, and plenty of rumours about pirate skiffs sunk in high seas and no questions asked. I had very little time to write the piece, so stupidly forgot to mention Best Management Practices, which is a dull name for a sensible set of rules re: what captains should do to protect their ships from pirates. Things like having a designated safe room or citadel with proper communications and ideally steering capabilities; zig-zagging at high speed; hoses and barbed wire, if the shipowner/manager will pay for such things.
I didn’t write the headline. I meant, modern piracy began as the bloodless kind. Now it is less so. Which is why I support the use of – properly legistated-for, licensed – armed security. Nothing else is working.