Contracted Armed News

On Friday, August 13, EU NAVFOR ATALANTA Joint Operation Centre received an alert according to which the Turkish-flagged cargo vessel Anatolia (IMO 9005869) was under attack by a skiff with four or five armed persons on board.Reportedly, the skiff attempted to approach the vessel and opened fire with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades (RPG). One of these RPG caused damage in the vicinity of the bridge. After almost two hours of exchange of fire between the assailants and the privately contracted armed security personnel on board…

The challenges posed by maritime crime are bringing about discussions on legal issues involving the interpretation and implementation of maritime law. As a result, a workshop has taken place in Sri Lanka, Colombo (18-20 June) where maritime law experts and practitioners from around the world met to participate in two main sessions aimed at gathering State practice and interpretation information related to international legal instruments. The first session looked at Article 17 of the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 (The Vienna Convention) and the treatment of Stateless Vessels.

European shipowners are concerned about the continued piracy, armed robbery attacks and kidnapping for ransom events in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), and particularly off Nigeria. According to the latest International Maritime Bureau (IMB) Piracy report in total 33 vessels were boarded and four fired upon in the first three months of 2017 worldwide. During the same period, of the 27 seafarers kidnapped for ransom, 63% were in the Gulf of Guinea. In its Global Maritime Security Conclusions adopted 19 June, the Environment Council recognised the problematic situation in the Gulf of Guinea. It underlined the need for regional states to take ownership and adapt their legal systems in order to fight piracy.

Tundra Maritime Defense Services (MDS), the maritime division of Tundra Group, announced that it has been awarded full certification and accreditation for the recently issued ISO 28007-1:2015 (Guidelines for Private Maritime Security Companies), following an audit conducted by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA). ISO 28007-1:2015 gives established guidelines to private maritime security companies (PMSC) that supply privately contracted armed security personnel (PCASP) on board ships and the compliance requirements are much more stringent than those required by the ‘old’ ISO/PAS 28007.

The new mandatory code for ships fuelled by gases or other low-flashpoint fuels was adopted by IMO's Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), when it met at the Organization's London headquarters for its 95th session from June 3-12, 2015. The Committee also placed unsafe mixed migration by sea on its agenda and considered cyber security matters and passenger ship safety. It adopted new ships’ routing measures and approved a number of circulars arising from items put forward by the subcommittees.

The Panama Maritime Authority has accredited ESC Global Security personnel to offer protection aboard Panamanian-registered vessels, in what is thought to mark the first Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSC) licence issued under the new Panama Administration. During December 2014, a new set of rules including a new licence fee for PMSCs was introduced whereby failure to comply would result in the revocation or suspension of a security company’s operating licence. The new…

Somali pirate attacks down by 95 pct since 2011 -Maritime bureau. Cash-strapped maritime security firms are being forced to use fewer costly elite guards and to diversify into other businesses such as cyber security, as a steep decline in Somali pirate attacks and hotter competition erode fast-thinning margins. Hundreds of security firms sprang up over the past seven years to offer protection to shipping companies, with scores of merchant vessels being boarded and sailors taken hostage in pirate raids off the coast of conflict-torn Somalia. However, attacks in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean have dropped from a peak of 237 in 2011 to just 10 in the first nine months of this year, the lowest since the piracy scourge began in 2008, according to the International Maritime Bureau.

Port2Port Maritime has now been formally accepted as an Associate Member of BIMCO, following the company’s accreditation of ISO/PAS 28007, the first assessment of a maritime security company’s quality management system against an International Standards Organization framework (ISO). Andrew Varney, Managing Director, Port2Port Maritime said, “Membership to BIMCO gives a clear choice for Shipowners, Charterers and Operators alike that for the first time, having proven its competency and capability beyond doubt…

Tundra Maritime Defense Services (MDS), the maritime division of Tundra Group, announce that it has now been formally awarded full certification and accreditation for ISO 28000 including ISO/PAS 28007:2012 (Guidelines for Private Maritime Security Companies), following Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) being appointed as a ‘Certifying Body’ (CB) against ISO/PAS 28007 by the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS). This new accreditation ensures that Tundra MDS maintains the highest possible level of ISO/PAS 28007 certification, a level that the company said is shared by just a handful of PMSCs. ISO/PAS 28007 gives established guidelines to private maritime security companies (PMSC) that supply privately contracted armed security personnel (PCASP) on board ships.

Maritime security company Ambrey Risk, specialists in commercial shipping in the oil and gas sector inform it has now been formally awarded full certification & accreditation for ISO 28000: ISO/PAS 28007, following Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) being appointed as a ‘Certifying Body’ (CB) against ISO/PAS 28007 by the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS). This concludes the ISO/PAS 28007 Pilot, the first assessment of a maritime security company’s quality management system against an International Standards Organisation framework (ISO).

Port2Port Maritime Security Ltd. has been awarded full certification / accreditation for ISO 28000: ISO/PAS 28007. Following a rigorous validation process, Port2Port is independently certified through MSS Global via the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS), with full compliance to the new security management system specification. Andrew Varney, Managing Director of Port2Port Maritime said, "Port2Port has worked extremely hard to implement the ISO in full; this award is vindication of our efforts.

Private maritime security service company Protection Vessels International (PVI), part of Protection Group International, announced that it has achieved accreditation to deploy armed guards on German flagged vessels. Applicable from December 1, 2013, the updated German regulations are more stringent than any other existing standard and go beyond ISO 28000/28007 certification, which is currently being piloted. The German regulations ensure private maritime security companies' (PMSCs') operating procedures are comprehensive, well documented and executed safely.

Tundra Maritime Defense Services (MDS), has been certified by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) to ISO/PAS 28007, the Guidelines for Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSCs). The certification, explains Tundra, gives established guidelines to private maritime security companies (PMSC) that supply privately contracted armed security personnel (PCASP) on board ships. Certification to these standards demonstrates to the international community that Tundra MDS can legally, safely and effectively guard seafarers, their vessels and cargo.

Ambrey Risk have successfully gained certification from Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) against ISO/PAS 28007, joining a growing number of Private Maritime Security Companies offering greater accountability for the Shipping Industry, something Ambrey Risk Managing Director, Chris Charnley, welcomes very much. LRQA UK Business Centre Manager, David Derrick commented: “Certification to the ISO 28000 and ISO/PAS 28007 standards clearly shows that Ambrey Risk have made a commitment in demonstrating their professionalism to ship owners and managers. Derrick continued, “LRQA has provided a robust and challenging assessment of operations both here in the U.K.

Typecasting can be the curse of many an actor – they become so immersed and associated with one kind of character that the wider audience cannot seemingly accept them in any other role. Away from the bright lights of the film studios, it seems that entire industries can be typecast too – and private maritime security may be suffering just such a problem. It appears the maritime security industry and armed guards have become completely synonymous. A perception is seemingly developing which sees privately contracted armed security personnel (PCASP) as the only answer being offered by this burgeoning industry. Their use has been contentious and has led to difficult decisions within in many a parliament and many a shipowner’s Board room…

Maritime intelligence provider, Dryad Maritime Intelligence, has issued guidance to seafarers on the latest framework of standards to be issued by the maritime security industry. Dryad's advisory considers and comments upon the three main proposed standards that are currently hot topics of debate in the maritime security industry; the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) PAS 28007, the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers (ICoC) and ANSI / ASIS PSC 1 & 4.

Dryad Maritime Intelligence, a U.K. maritime intelligence provider, issued guidance on the latest framework of standards to be issued by the maritime security industry. Their advisory considers and comments upon the three main proposed standards that are currently hot topics of debate in the maritime security industry; the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) PAS 28007, the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers (ICoC) and ANSI / ASIS PSC 1 & 4.

The AdvanFort Company has volunteered its counter-piracy vessels in the waters in and around the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean to join the U.S. Coast Guard-coordinated Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System (AMVER). The AdvanFort fleet, which has vessels strategically positioned in key sea lanes surrounding the High Risk Area (HRA), is now “on plot” in the official USCG program, a computer-based voluntary global ship reporting system that is used by search and rescue authorities around the world to arrange for assistance to persons in distress at sea.

Maritime security company AdvanFort announced Wednesday that it has volunteered for service in the piracy-infested waters in and around the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean as part of the U.S. Coast Guard-coordinated Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System (Amver), whose members assist any nearby vessel in distress. The AdvanFort fleet which has vessels strategically positioned in key sea lanes surrounding the High Risk Area (HRA), is now “on plot” in the official USCG program…

Port2Port Maritime has completed a pilot audit assessment for ISO/PAS 28007. After a rigorous and meticulously detailed, top down validation process conducted from the company headquarters to overseas operating locations and out to the point of embarkation, Port2Port Maritime has demonstrated compliance with this new management system specification. ISO 28000 is based upon a management system for the delivery of risk management services and mirrors much of the process contained in ISO 9001.

International shipping registries have continued to sharpen their aim taken at a longstanding maritime problem: What is the appropriate response to piracy? As attacks have shifted from Somalia to West Africa, the issue remains at top of mind. Armed guards have proven to be a successful deterrent against attacks. Ship finance and registry lawyer Brad Berman, a Partner at Holland & Knight (H&K), sums up a sea change in views over the past year in views about guns aboard ships, telling Maritime Reporter: “A few years ago most of the shipping industry was against having weapons aboard…

Somali piracy has fallen to its lowest levels since 2006, focusing attention on violent piracy and armed robbery off the coast of West Africa, the International Chamber Commerce (ICC) International Maritime Bureau (IMB)’s latest global piracy report reveals. Worldwide, the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) recorded 138 piracy incidents in the first six months of 2013, compared with 177 incidents for the corresponding period in 2012. Seven hijackings have been recorded this year compared with 20 in the first half of 2012.

Maritime piracy is both ageless as a threat as well as ductile in its dramatically changing nature both in and around the Indian Ocean and, increasingly, in other parts of the world. Somali piracy erupted in the western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden and commercial vessels transiting the area frequently fell prey to the seagoing criminals who captured numerous vessels and held them and their crews for ransom to the tune of tens of millions of dollars. Numerous maritime nations…