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SAFER ENVIRONMENTS
In today’s uncertain world, security is increasingly at the forefront of decision makers minds when planning their day to day operations all over the world
Security in its most effective form consists of many complimentary layers. Maritime security in particular has some of the most diverse layers effectively mitigating threats before they escalate and for most of the time, ensures a safe operating environment for masters and their crew. This ranges from electronic surveillance, deterrents and communications right through to physical barriers and dedicated security teams on board.
Piracy in its modern day guise poses a real threat to masters and their crew whilst underway in areas of higher risk and increasingly they are finding that many mitigation measures already employed - in all their various forms - are not always a 100 percent guarantee of safe operations. As a response, many owners and operators are installing citadels or safe rooms on board as a last resort or safe haven for the crew should an incursion take place. These come in many shapes, sizes and specifications to suit particular vessel requirements.
One area that is often overlooked with regards to citadels is situational awareness and communications. It is often the initial perception of owners or insurers that having a citadel installed is enough – without giving enough thought to what happens to the crew once they are inside and locked down. A risk of stating the obvious - on a vessel, the crew are your most important asset and will play a key part in preventing or solving a pirate incursion. When planning a citadel load out list, food and water are normally a given requirement, but please consider this; If the crew have not had chance to inform anyone where they are or what the ongoing situation on board is during an incursion, ATALANTA or other Counter-Piracy assets cannot board a vessel until they are sure all
the crew are accounted for and cannot interdict at the first – and often most critical - opportunity. Whilst in the citadel without contact with the outside world, the crew also cannot give out their current known position, direction and speed to hasten any interdiction efforts ending their ordeal promptly once locked down. Even if the crew do get chance to get a distress call out over traditional means prior to locking themselves down, once inside the citadel the situation changes instantly into a high stakes waiting game and nerves of steel are the order of the day. Pirate tactics are also evolving quickly, and they are more than aware of standardised maritime communications, including tracking systems and beaconry. They too have access to the internet as well as practical marine experience and are fully aware of what is commercially available and what to look for. As a result, the first thing that happens during an incursion is all normal communications and antennas are cut leaving the vessel almost invisible on the electronic spectrum, raising the pirates odds of success massively. In some cases involving the crew, they have switched off the systems themselves which means that from the outset, any solution has to take this into account. Paul Clarke, Director, Xenubis, is urging masters and crew to consider all additional factors in order to stay ahead of the game. Clarke believes this can be achieved by counteracting the pirates’ evolving tactics in two steps.
“Firstly, we recommend owners and masters pay real heed to the requirement for situational awareness - both onboard and back at the control location – delivered through basic tracking solutions separately installed from existing systems with their own communications bearers and power sources. These solutions are
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