IDPL : Maritime security

International Defence Procurement and Logistics

Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)

Private military company (PMC)

International Defence Procurement & Logistics

Articles of interest:

IDPL is a member of both The International Association For Counterterrorism & Security Professionals (IACSP : www.iacsp.com), and The American Society for Law Enforcement Training (ASLET : www.aslet.org).

Home > Maritime security

When did you last consider the maritime terrorist risk?

In recent years, businesses have become aware of the potential threat of terrorism. The official advice is to be more vigilant... yeah right!!!!!!!!! What can you do on a day to day basis to protect your vessels and port side assets from acts of terrorism? REGULAR, PROFESSIONAL risk assessment and mitigation. Processes can be implemented to ensure the threat is kept to a minimum, For example:

Crew vetting and screening
Sub Sea and topside search of vessels and shore based facilities
and depending on shipping routes used, anti piracy teams

From 1991 up until the latter part of 2003 piracy attacks have steadily risen, from 100 attacks a year to over 400 Hundred and the trend shows that this will steadily raise if more is not done to counter this type of terrorism. Just imagine if a group of suicide bombers gained control of a LNG (liquid natural gas) tanker!!!!!!!!!!!! It doesn’t bare thinking about, does it? This would be a perfect mass casualty weapon.

Maritime security

The most eloquent move towards unification in combating terrorism and piracy at sea is the International Maritime Organisations, ISPS (international ship and port security) code which was activated in July 2004 but it is only as good as the personnel staffing it. Not enough is being done to ensure the safety of ships at sea their cargos and port facilities. Few know that Al Qaeda was able to smuggle terrorists into the USA aboard a LNG tanker through the port of Boston prior to the 2001 attacks.

The school of thought at the moment in the maritime security sector believes that the increase in piracy in South East Asian waters over the previous months may be a sign of militant groups training to highjack ships to be used as weapons, petrochemical tankers are becoming targets with alarming frequency. Thinking suggests that this is because these vessels are manned by fewer crew due to the sophistication of newer ships.

At year end 1999 there were 108 actively trading LNG tankers and this number is growing considerably, some of the biggest in the LNG fleet run through the unprotected routes of the Caribbean. In March 2003 10 intruders took control of the DEWI MADRIM off the coast of Sumatra and for one hour practised steering and slowing the vessel, on leaving the ship they took the Master and First officer, the ship was left undamaged.

Pirates are helming the ships for periods of time totally un hindered, many of the crew taken hostage in these attacks are still missing, the worst routes appear to be the ones running through the Straits of Malacca - interestingly almost a quarter of the worlds maritime trade uses this patch of water.

According to Lloyds List intelligence agencies have identified some 15-23 freighters sailing under the flags of Yemen, Somalia and the Pacific Islands of Tonga, these vessels operating in the Mediterranean Sea, Indian and Pacific Oceans are owned or controlled by the Al Qaeda network. In view of these reports merchant crews themselves are being screened as potential threats, the Philippines, home of ABU SAYYAF is the worlds biggest crew supplier, whilst Indonesia, the second biggest is home to many radical Muslim groups.

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