A British company which makes compressed air cannons has reported a surge in the interest for its new floating entanglement device which can stop pirate skiffs in their tracks.
Cardiff based maritime security and survival experts, BCB International Ltd, have unveiled a new floating entanglement projectile which can be deployed from its British made compressed air launcher called the ‘Sea Stinger.’ The company reports that it has piqued the interest of the Maritime Industry as it focuses on new techniques of combating the growing menace of sea piracy as part of the International Maritime Organization’s World Maritime Week (26-30 September).
BCB International’s Marine Projects Officer, Jonathan Delf, said: “Since we demonstrated both the ‘Sea Stinger’ and its new floating entanglement line at the World’s biggest Defence and Security Trade Fair in London last week (DSEi), we have been inundated with enquiries about the technology.
“Our compressed air launchers like the ‘Sea Stinger’ can be fired remotely from a ship’s bridge or a Port Authority’s control room. The Sea Stinger’s new floating entanglement line works very much like the road spikes used by the Police to stop vehicles who take part in criminal activities. The vessel arresting line entangles itself around the propellers of a water craft like skiffs or rigid inflatable boats used for acts of piracy as well as other criminal acts and terrorist threats. It operates at pressures up to 1000 PSI and the projectiles deployed by the Sea Stinger can reach speeds of up to 350 metres per second. The Sea Stinger can also deploy a variety of other projectiles such as life saving buoyancy aids and smoke for screening or marking.
“Piracy is a problem that has dogged shipping companies for several years. In actual fact the problem is getting worse. The Maritime Industry is slowly realising that it needs to cast its net wider and start looking at new piracy protection technologies that do not place their vessels and crews under any further unnecessary risk. We believe that our compressed air anti-piracy launchers like the ‘Sea Stinger’ ticks all the boxes.”