Security Division News

Subrosa Group (SRG) announced it is rolling out a new Maritime Security (MarSec) division, SRG Maritime Security, to deliver security services globally to the commercial shipping and offshore industries, private vessels and superyachts.SRG's CEO, Niall Burns, said, "The establishment of our Maritime Security division is a direct response to the critical need for elite armed protection for large vessels navigating increasingly perilous waters worldwide. Incidents of maritime attacks are alarmingly on the rise…

Papua New Guinea (PNG) has invited the USCGC Myrtle Hazard (WPC 1139) to join their lead in maritime operations to combat illegal fishing and safeguard maritime resources during August 2023.This marks the first time a joint patrol effort will be executed at sea since the signing and ratification of the recent bilateral defense agreement between PNG and the US, which allows the US to embark shipriders from PNG agencies aboard the ship to conduct at sea boardings on other vessels operating in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).The move emphasizes PNG’s commitment to maritime domain awareness…

British professional services provider Lloyd’s Register (LR) has agreed to sell its business assurance and cyber security division to Goldman Sachs Asset Management as the company focuses on maritime activities, executives said on Tuesday.The deal is expected to be completed during the second half of 2021 subject to regulatory approval, the companies said.When asked about the value of the transaction, an LR spokeswoman said it “exceeds $100 million”.LR’s business assurance & inspection…

DG Risk Group announced Monday it has acquired armed maritime security company Protection Vessels International, along with its trading division Halcyon Yacht Security. The acquisition was completed in 2020.UK-based Protection Vessels International (PVI) specializes in armed maritime security solutions for commercial and governmental agencies. Most recently PVI, in unison with DG Risk Group, supported and partnered with several navies in the Gulf of Guinea in support of two major…

The Ferretti Group announced that it has gained new orders worth $510.1 million (465 million euros) during the first nine months of the year, up 18 percent compared to the same period in 2018.The Italian boatbuilder said in a press statement that its Wally brand helped increase its order book. It also signed contracts for 16 coastal patrol boats in its Ferretti Security Division."These positive results have benefited from the launch of five new models under our Riva, Pershing, Ferretti Yachts and Custom Line brands, as well as from the relaunch of the Wally brand, which we acquired in April this year. In particular, our first serial model under the Wally brand…

The United States has for the first time seized a North Korean cargo ship it accused of illicit coal shipments in violation of U.S. and United Nations sanctions, the U.S. Justice Department announced on Thursday.The ship, known as the "Wise Honest," was first detained by Indonesia in April 2018. Under an unusual U.S. civil forfeiture action, the vessel is now in the possession of the United States and is currently approaching U.S. territorial waters heading toward American Samoa, U.S. Justice Department officials said.The announcement comes after North Korea fired what appeared to be two short-range missiles on Thursday, its second such test in less than a week and an apparent protest by leader Kim Jong Un after U.S.

The Port of Long Beach’s Security Division has been awarded $3.4 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants to fund ongoing projects that protect the port. The grants will enhance port security systems such as physical security equipment and monitoring and detection systems, including the Virtual Port System, and improve the resiliency of port security systems, the port said. “Protecting workers and the community, as well as ensuring business continuity, are top priorities at the Port of Long Beach,” said Lori Ann Guzmán, President of the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners. FEMA, which is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security…

Advancement in broadband technologies and the move toward ‘Big Data’ will leave the maritime industry vulnerable to cyber-crime unless it develops a better awareness of ICT security and adopts security best practice, warns ESC Global Security’s head of cyber security division, Joseph Carson. “There is the potential for a major cyber attack on the maritime industry to significantly disrupt food and energy supplies given that shipping transports 90 percent of the world’s global trade.

Korean Register (KR), an IACS member classification society, has been fully authorized by the Marine Safety and Security Division of Transport Canada to perform statutory services on behalf of the government of Canada. KR is now able to conduct relevant surveys, audits and issue certificates to Canadian flagged ships for SOLAS, MARPOL, ITC, ILL, and ISM Code. Because of Canada’s geography the administration is particularly active in the Polar Code discussions within IMO and KR believes that this authorization will assist other KR classed vessels operating in Arctic waters. KR opened an office in Vancouver in 2012 and underwent an audit by the Canadian government at its Busan headquarters in June 2014 and its Vancouver office in July 2014.

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.

Drum Cussac and Ambrey Risk have agreed the sale and purchase of Drum Cussac’s maritime transits security division. Drum Cussac’s transits security division provides security consultants in all marine environments to protect commercial shipping from seaborne piracy threats, predominantly in the Lloyds of London High Risk Area (HRA) of the Indian Ocean. Drum Cussac has provided this service to a large number of clients since 2008. Ambrey Risk will integrate Drum Cussac’s maritime transits operations staff and equipment into its existing business.

Port of Long Beach officials welcomed a new addition to their small fleet of boats this week with the delivery of a refurbished and retrofitted landing craft that will strengthen their emergency recovery capabilities. Donated to the Port by the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency, the Landing Craft Mechanized Mark 8, or LCM-8 underwent 12 months of renovations to add cleaner engines, a salvage crane and a galley. The renovations cost $1.5 million and were primarily funded by the California Port and Maritime Security Grant Program.

Robert Patrick Hoffman, II, 40, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, has been convicted by a federal jury of attempting to provide classified information to individuals whom he believed to be representatives of the Russian Federation. Hoffman faces a maximum penalty of life in prison when he is sentenced on December 2, 2013. He was indicted on May 8, 2013, in a one-count superseding indictment charging him with attempted espionage. According to court records and the evidence at trial, Hoffman is a U.S. citizen born in Buffalo, New York, who served for 20 years in the U.S. Navy until his retirement on November 1, 2011. While serving in the navy…

Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) have deployed the buoy 35 miles off the coast and in 43 meters of water depth, to perform in-ocean tests on its proprietary APB to further validate the technology's capacity for expanded ocean surveillance. This latest deployment is in connection with a previously-announced Cooperative Research and Development Agreement ("CRADA") with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security ("DHS") Science & Technology Directorate ("S&T"). The DHS S&T Borders and…

The American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE) will host the High Performance Craft (HiPer Craft) Forum on June 19-20, 2013 at the Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center in Norfolk, Va. •    Dr. •    Dr. •    Mr. •    Mr. •    Mr. Jonathan Hill, AMRINA, AFNI, Training Director at FRC International Ltd and Trident Marine Ltd. •    CAPT D.B. •    Mr. Dave Menna, Donald L. Blount & Associates, Inc. •    Mr. •    Dr. •    Mr. •    Dr. Trevor Dobbins, STResearch Ltd. •    Mr. Tyler Brand, President, StrongWake Ltd. •    Mr. •    Ms. •    Mr. Walt Pullar, Chief Executive Officer, RMGS, Inc.

The 25% growth of Seawork, commercial marine exhibition and conference, opening for its 16th year in the Port of Southampton on Tuesday 25 June, indicates the underlying confidence of the sector. With more exhibitors from more countries occupying more space than ever before, Seawork 2013 promises to be a hub of networking activity with levels of business between the 500+ exhibitors and up to 7,000 international visitors reaching unprecedented levels over the event’s three days. Registration for marine professionals to attend the exhibition for free is now open at www.seawork.com. The range and selection of over 50 vessels moored on 250m of pontoons, specially installed alongside the Seawork Quayside, will be a major attraction for visitors.

Cobham plc has established a new strategic business unit (SBU) Cobham SATCOM: Thrane & Thrane will form its core. Headquartered in Denmark, Cobham SATCOM is led by Thrane & Thrane CEO Walther Thygesen with assistance from a multinational management team, and includes Cobham’s satcom facilities in Cape Town, South Africa, Concord, California and Orlando, Florida. Cobham SATCOM is now twice the size of what either Thrane & Thrane or Cobham’s legacy satcom businesses were prior to this coambination. Rebranding of Thrane & Thrane will begin immediately and is expected to complete during 2013. In addition to adopting the Cobham SATCOM name and Cobham’s brand, the SATCOM SBU will be rebranding its products throughout 2013.

More Charges for Alleged Somali Pirates Indicted for Attack of the USS Ashland. A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia has returned a second superseding indictment, charging five men from Somalia with engaging in piracy and related offenses pertaining to the attack on the Navy ship, the USS Ashland. Neil H. MacBride, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement. As in the prior indictments, the second superseding indictment charges five men…

Somalis Sentenced to Life in Prison on Charges Relating to Piracy of the S/V Quest. Mohamud Hirs Issa Ali, a/k/a Sanadaaq, 32, and Jilani Abdiali, a/k/a Ilkasse, 20, both of Somalia, were sentenced today in Norfolk federal court to life in prison for their acts of piracy against the S/V Quest, which resulted in the murder of United States citizens Scott Underwood Adam, Jean Savage Adam, Phyllis Patricia Macay and Robert Campbell Riggle. Neil H. MacBride, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Janice K.

Two Somalis Sentenced to Life in Prison for Acts of Piracy Against the S/V Quest. Muhidin Salad Omar, a/k/a  “Muhiyaden Salad,” a/k/a “Gurdan,” a/k/a “Gardan,” a/k/a “Gurden,” a/k/a “Muhdin,”  a/k/a “Dudan,” 30, and Mahdi Jama Mohamed, a/k/a “Mahdi,” age estimated to be 23 to 24, both of Somalia, were sentenced today in Norfolk federal court for acts of piracy against the S/V Quest, which resulted in the murder of United States citizens Scott Underwood Adam, Jean Savage Adam, Phyllis Patricia Macay and Robert Campbell Riggle.

The man accused of being the negotiator for the ransom of four U.S. citizens held hostage on the high seas has been indicted for his alleged role in successfully extracting a ransom for a separate vessel and 22 hostages held by Somali pirates. Neil H. MacBride, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Janice K. Fedarcyk, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office; and Alex J. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement. “Mr. Shibin is alleged to be among the select few who are entrusted with one of the most important tasks in Somali piracy – ensuring a ship’s owners pay the maximum amount of ransom possible for the release of a hijacked vessel,” said U.S. Attorney MacBride.

Ali Mohamed Ali, 48, has been indicted for conspiracy to commit piracy and other charges that allege he acted as a negotiator on behalf of Somali pirates during the takeover of a merchant ship in the Gulf of Aden, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and James W. McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Ali, also known as Ismail Ali or Ahmed Ali Adan, had been residing in Somalia. He was arrested on April 20, 2011 at Dulles International Airport. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance April 26, 2011 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The indictment, returned  April 15…

A federal jury in Norfolk, Va., has convicted five men from Somalia of engaging in piracy and related offenses in their attack on the USS Nicholas, marking what is believed to be the first piracy trial conviction in the United States since 1820. Neil H. MacBride, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Janice K. Fedarcyk, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's New York Field Office; Alex J. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Norfolk Field Office; and Mark Russ, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) in Norfolk, made the announcement after the verdict was accepted by United States District Judge Mark S. Davis. "Today marks the first jury conviction of piracy in more than 190 years," said U.S. Attorney MacBride.