Somali Pirates

[paultain]

Because of 9/11 we have 'Air Marshals' on board aircraft. So why can't we have 'Sea Marshals' on board ships?

If a couple of little dingies come to close, simply blow them out of the water. That should quickly stop this hobby of the pirates.

[marshal]

Good point or at least have access to a ltd supply of weapons with the Captain being in charge of the keys!

[Stogie]

(strocube @ Nov. 22 2008,08:05) Yes, that was exactly my point...

No it fucking wasn't. YOUR "point" was about how you were buried up to the neck in the past and how we should all be reminded of it!

[marshal]

(marshal @ Nov. 22 2008,15:23) Now, now guys calm down! Ok i know there is some strong views, can't we have a debate without calling each other twats  

[Tomcat]

I read yesterday that the Russian plan is to form international army, invade Somalia and wipe the rogues out for good...Maybe we should let the Russians do it alone as the word "prisoner" is practically unknown in their armed forces..

A Beer Chug to the Russian Federation

[geezer]

Totally agree. The Russians have the right idea when it comes to hostage takers. They will kill them all with or without their hostages. It's a bloody policy but in the long run will lead to less kidnappings. Our western adversian to casualties mean's that they will continue.

[Road Runner]

(paultain @ Nov. 22 2008,09:50) Because of 9/11 we have 'Air Marshals' on board aircraft. So why can't we have 'Sea Marshals' on board ships?

Anyone want to volunteer me a reason why it's not a very good idea to have weapons onboard a ship carrying 300,000 tonnes of flammable cargo?    

RR.

[Tomcat]

They have non lethal laser guns  that dont fire bullets and indeed i see the US army maybe start using this stuff soon in theatre . its distance specific and once locked on to some arsehole he begins to peel like an Orange....or something like that!

It was in New Scientist a few weeks back and the do gooders are trying to stop the technology as a breach of blah blah blah.....

[SamplerDoc]

I can't believe these guys made 135 million USD so far this year

[paultain]

Anyone want to volunteer me a reason why it's not a very good idea to have weapons onboard a ship carrying 300,000 tonnes of flammable cargo?

Ask yourself how much explosive material (never mind flammable) is on a nuclear aircraft carrier, with 7,000 souls on-board?

How do they keep the peace?

Well out of that 7,000 approx. 80 marines are the only ones are aloud to have weapons and handle live ammunition. This is in case of mutiny etc.

The same rules can easy be applied to this situation, its nothing new.

[Road Runner]

Aircraft carriers have considerable measures in place to prevent fires and yet even when they are not being fired at they stil suffer major blazes.
Remember the ammunition is stored in one or more magazines until it's brought up and placed on an aircraft.
Munitions are not armed until just before the aircraft take off and unless it's cooked in a very hot fire will they will not burn or explode.

The problem on a carrier is the aviation fuel  -  kerosene  -  which in relation to other types of fuel is actually not that easy to set fire too!
When they do manage it it's usually either an accident while fueling an aircraft or damage to a fueled aircraft.
In other words the initial fire will only involve a few tons of kerosene  -  that is until the aluminium/magnesium of the aircrafts starts to burn

Theses articles show what happens when it does catch:-  Carrier fires        Nuclear powerd carrier fire


Crude oil (depending on where it comes from) contains the full range of products from the stuff that's left after refining which is used to tar the road right through to the light highly volatile products like napthalene and benzene.

Not only is most crude oil very easy to set fire to  -  because of the highly volatile products  -when it does burn the results tend to be somewhat more spectacular.

The three ships in the first article were all empty but still had slops and cargo fumes in their tanks which they were cleaning.  Three tankers blow up.
This was caused by the cleaning practices of the time only  (later changed)  not  the use of fire arms.

A loaded ship is less likely to explode  -  but with 200-300,000 tonnes of the stuff you will have a rather large funeral pyre plus a major pollution incident.

Nutters on an oil tanker with guns?   -   NO THANKS!


RR.

And now for a few nice photos from one they set fire to earlier:-  Haven (ex - Amoco Milford Haven)

[paultain]

Oh so this was caused by nutters with guns?

[Road Runner]

  No I don't believe they ever worked out the cause of the initial explosion on the Haven.
If you read the report one of the forward cargo tanks exploded blowing a large section of the deck a considerable distance from the ship and killing 5 crew.
I have little doubt those 5 were working in the area of the explosion.
Suspected causes are either a defect with the ship's structure or the usual favourite crew negligence  -  the insurers like that one.        

Discharging a firearm could potentially have the same effect.   The pirates in Somalia are using RPG's  -  they would be a really good way to set the ship on fire!

The other side of this is the complications caused by commercial vessels having firearms onboard:-   Armed guards not the answer.

The answer in the short term is intensive naval patrols in the area with stop and search and shooting at anything that fails to comply.

The longer term answer is to sort out the mess in Somalia  -  not easy!

These pirates ain't romantic swashbuckling hearties  -  neither were they 300 years ago  -  that's Hollywod for you.

Apart from hostage taking and extortion they are causing financial damage to the worlds trade.
It's estimated the price of crude went up $1/barrel as a direct effect from taking the Sirius Star.
Add to that the increases in hull & cargo insurance and other additional costs.

I agree the pirates could be viewed as no worse than the bankers and traders that have disruted the world's economy.
But I don't remember the last time a banker or stock trader falsely imprisoned or killed somebody.

RR.

[Changnam]

Don't get the Americans involved in this. our hands are full...Hell we are already making enemies faster than we can kill them....My take is it is all part of grand conspiriance to lower oil prices driven by Mr Bush and the Bankers screw up(Brilliant) ...The world starves the price of oil goes down ...Bush takes credit for the lower oil prices and leaves his lasting legacy simple really..that's how history is written, by sactimonious dumb shits..percepion is everything..whats love got to do w/ it

[BlueBallz]

Changnam-eactaly we have too much shit on our plates! Having said that, if an AMERICAN ship gets taken hostage I wouldnt have any problem with some Special Forces having a field day in the vicinity of Eyl, Somalia. Let the UN sort it out, let the EU sort it out. Better yet, On Jan 21st let Obama sned that lot a message. He can ask them nicely and ask them why we all cant just get along. Any one of those measures should do the trick.

BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!!