Sea Captain: Ships Need U.S. Protection

(CBS/AP)  Commercial ships working pirate-infested waters should be protected by an armed corps of senior officers backed by government forces, with all operating under a clear chain of command, Maersk Alabama Capt. Richard Phillips told Congress Thursday.

"I am not comfortable giving up command authority to others, including the commander of a protection force," Phillips said in remarks prepared for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and obtained by The Associated Press. "In the heat of an attack, there can be only one final decision-maker."

Phillips, who was held by pirates for five days this month and rescued by Navy SEALs, was the star witness during a series of hearings as Congress considers ways to combat a spike in piracy against ships carrying billions of dollars in cargo.

Modern-day piracy, the experts were to testify, is the product of lawlessness in places like Somalia and is motivated by money more than ideology. It's a dangerous business nonetheless, with pirates carrying small arms and rocket launchers.

Phillips' firsthand experience aside, there's little consensus among policymakers and maritime experts on the wisdom of arming merchant seamen.

The chairman of Phillips' own company told the Senate panel that doing so could make the seas even more dangerous.

"Arming merchant sailors may result in the acquisition of ever more lethal weapons and tactics by the pirates, a race that merchant sailors cannot win," Maersk Inc. Chairman John P. Clancey said in his prepared remarks.

Witnesses said the solution will require a combination of diplomacy and cooperation between governments, shippers and seamen's unions.

Government protection for ships in vast international waters was already in progress.

Belgium said Thursday that its military will provide onboard protection to commercial ships off the Horn of Africa, beginning this weekend. Teams of eight soldiers will be available to Belgian ships upon request if an EU anti-piracy flotilla in the region can't guarantee protection. The costs will be assumed by ship owners.

Phillips, 53, was taken hostage April 8 after four Somali pirates assaulted his ship, the Maersk Alabama. He was rescued April 12. He has described the siege in interviews, but told the Senate panel he would not talk about the details because of an ongoing investigation and legal proceedings against one of the pirates who held him hostage.

Upon his triumphant arrival home earlier this month, Phillips said he was just an ordinary seaman doing his job, not a hero, and he praised the Navy for its daring rescue mission.

"They're the superheroes," he said. "They're the titans. They're impossible men doing an impossible job, and they did the impossible with me. ... They're at the point of the sword every day, doing an impossible job every day."

[NobleBandit]

Vagabonds of the Sea

Rebels, murderers, cutthroats, thieves
Modern marauders of the high seas
Enemies of mankind the risks are great
Carving a crimson career magnifique
Sea-going wealth sails unprotected
Lying in wait. It?s ours for the taking
Opportunity or disaster alone at sea
Alight. Desperate slice of society
Most vulnerable ships a potential victim
Wait, lads wait. Can't you swim?
Wild frontier out at sea
Modern high seas piracy
Ahoy! Every ship in uncharted waters
Beyond laws reach confident mariners
The sea is vast and unforgiving
Free to plunder. Men are drawn to it
Unregulated waters a million miles
A fine big ship once darkness falls
Mon Capitan! Hoist skull and crossbones
With homemade grenades and pistols
Slip aboard aggressive and violent
Crew surrenders without a fight
Bloodied and frightened flee over the side
No defense against cargo crime
What?s this? A private vigilante?
Anyone this channel. May Day! May Day!
Waiting for me with a knife
Abandon the raid. Unlucky strife
He?s out to get me. Hit in the neck
In trouble now. Dropped to the deck
Very well sail on little ship
To hell with them! Died a pirates death

[afmcalax]

This is another example of big business trying to foist their expense on taxpayers. If they really cared about their crews the shipping lines would have banned together to hire PRIVATE security firms to protect their ships in that area of the world. They do not need the U.S. Navy. But in reality the shipping companies do not care about their crews and can use tax write-offs when they pay the ransoms.

There are plenty of well armed and well trained private security forces that could be hired to protect the ships while they transit through those waters. The shipping companies are just too cheap to spend their own money. If they took what they paid in ransom last year they would easily pay for the forces.

As to the Somolian criminals, please don't give them too much credit. They are ignorant thugs and once their mother ships and pursuit craft start getting blown out of the water they will look for easier and more profitable ways to steal their money. Maybe if they spent as much time trying to build a country instead of their criminal pursuits, everyone would be better off.

[tigerrram9]

Mr. Clancey diplomacy will not work by itself and payin ransoms only encourages more hijackings. Let the diplomats talk, but also arm the seamen. Let the barrel of the M-14 rifle support the diplomacy effort. I know the Somalian government has a hand in this. How else can you explain the weapons and the boats w/high power engines. Who is arming these pirates? Who gets a share of the ransom money? Why aren't these pirates prosecuted at home? Why, because piracy is a lucrative business and pays well. Stop depending on the Navies of the world to defend your ships. You take matters into your hands and start defending your business. When you pay ransoms you encourage more piracy and you drive insurance rates up. That in turn drives the prices for consumer goods and we the consumer ends up paying for your ransom money. We are also held hostage by these pirates. Defend yourselves and stop depending on some else to defend your business. Arm and train your crews to be the first line of defense against these pirates. I bet that once they start receiving opposition and resistance from the merchant ships, they will rethink the piracy business. Mr. Clancy think of the law abiding families that these handful of pirates are destroying.
Ransom money, It probably funds the warlords and the blood shed continues in that country and other surrounding African countries. Stop funding these atrocities with your ransom money. Diplomacy at sea starts with the end of a barrel of an M-14 (7.62) rifle. Let the diplomats talk, but give the seamen a chance to defend themselves out at sea.

[hungry1968-15]

Sorry Richard, as much as I sympathize with the danger you face, it is not something that U.S. taxpayers should have to support. Your company knows that this is part of the "cost" of doing business and that is why in the past, they have paid the ransom rather than providing their own "protection." If I go into a dangerous neighborhood in my nearby city to deliver a product, I cannot expect a "police escort" to do business. Good luck, but do not expect a government subsidy for your bad business plan.
Posted by excoachken at 4:58 AM : May 1, 2009






Well said!

I agree 100%!

[hungry1968-15]

BS.

It's NOT the United States problem, to patrol ANY waters other than our own territorial waters - those within 250 miles of our shores.

We are NOT the "world police", nor is our military the "safe shipping security forces", anymore than we're in the "dictator removal business".

If these ships need security, let them hire Blackwater. American businesses, paying American taxes, should NOT be paying to provide security for those that manufacture their products "off shore".

What's next? Are American businesses supposed to pay their shipping costs, to bring those products to America to compete with the domestically made products?

Please -- you people need to get a grip on reality.

[excoachken]

Sorry Richard, as much as I sympathize with the danger you face, it is not something that U.S. taxpayers should have to support. Your company knows that this is part of the "cost" of doing business and that is why in the past, they have paid the ransom rather than providing their own "protection." If I go into a dangerous neighborhood in my nearby city to deliver a product, I cannot expect a "police escort" to do business. Good luck, but do not expect a government subsidy for your bad business plan.

[tigerrram9]

Arming the crew won't stop pirates, but it will make them think twice before taking up the business of hijacking ships. If they know they are going against an armed ship that will defend itself, I tell you they will start having second thoughts. The pirates want to get back to their families, just like the seamen on board the ship. Who gets back to their families and who loses depends on the courage of the defenders. Take up arms and defend your ships, just like you would your homes on shore. The ship is your home and your way to earn a living for your families, don't let a handful of unlawful pirates destroy your lives. Stop Paying Ransoms and start defending your home and liberties. It either your or them, who wins depends on your courage and love of family. Take an M-14 rifle and show the pirates you mean business. Don't coward behind closed doors and depend on the Navies to defend you. You take arms and defend your ship, its your livelihood. It is either them or you, the outcome is in your hands.

[tigerrram9]

Arm the crews with high power weapons like M-14's (7.62mm) rifles and shotguns just in case the pirates get close enough to the side of the ship. Like I said shoot their engines to disable the boats. That way they won't have a boat to get away with the ransom money. Shoot the engines so they won't have the power to escape. Shoot the engines to keep them away and show them a lesson. Without the boats engines they will have a long way to paddle to shore and then they need to buy another engine. Once you disable their craft you have saved yourselves and other ships in the area. Let the pirates know you mean business and you are not going to give up the ship without a fight. Stop paying ransoms and start defending yourselves, just like you would defend your home from an intruder. STOP ENCOURAGING THE PIRATES BY PAYING THEM RANSOM MONEY!!

[tigerrram9]

Getting back to the pirates, I stongly believe that training the crew to protect themselves and arming them would greatly reduce the risk of pirates boarding the ship. If you can aim and fire an M-14 (7.62mm) rifle you have just won the battle of keeping the pirates a far distance away. The pirates are boarding and hijacking the ships because they know the crews are unarmed. Once you fire your weapons at them they will rethink the situation and probably abort their mission. You don't have to shoot to kill, just shoot over their heads to let them know you will not go down without a fight. I say also shoot at the boats engines to disable them, then they will be stranded at sea and they will have to paddle their way back to shore. Do this and the word will get around in Somalia and hopefully discourage other wanna be pirates. But if you keep giving them money that encourages other to do more hijackings.

[formrusmcsgt]

Richard Phillips, Who Survived Hostage Ordeal, Tells Senate That Armed Crews Alone Won't Stop Pirates
----
Twin 50's around the life rail surely would. We don't need to spend millions on patrols.