rssMaersk Alabama Captain Cautiously Endorses Arming Crews
Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 3:46 pm
- 2 Comments
Richard Philips, the Maersk Alabama captain who endured a week of captivity by Somali pirates before U.S. Navy SEALs freed him, testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today about what measures ought to be taken by commercial shipping to deter or defeat pirate attacks. Here’s Philips’ statement, on the question of arming crew members:
At most, arming the crew should be only one component of a comprehensive plan and approach to combat piracy. To the extent we go forward in this direction, it would be my personal preference that only the four most senior ranking officers aboard the vessel have access to effective weaponry and that these individuals receive special training on a regular basis. I realize that even this limited approach to arming the crew opens up a very thorny set of issues. I’ll let others sort out the legal and liability issues but we all must understand that having weapons on board merchant ships fundamentally changes the model of commercial shipping and we must be very cautious about how it is done. Nevertheless, I do believe that arming the crew, as part of an overall strategy, could provide an effective deterrent under certain circumstances and I believe that a measured capability in this respect should be part of the overall debate about how to defend ourselves against criminals on the sea.
Philips went on to say that he wonders about the breakdown in command that could result if a protection force was placed aboard a commercial shipping vessel in the event of a pirate attack. “In the heat of an attack, there can be only one final decision maker,” he said.
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2 Comments
Comment posted May 1, 2009 @ 9:18 am
Vagabonds of the Sea
Rebels, murderers, cutthroats, thieves
Modern marauders of the high seas
Enemies of mankind the risks are great
Carving a crimson career magnifique
Sea-going wealth sails unprotected
Lying in wait. It’s ours for the taking
Opportunity or disaster alone at sea
Alight. Desperate slice of society
Most vulnerable ships a potential victim
Wait, lads wait. Can't you swim?
Wild frontier out at sea
Modern high seas piracy
Ahoy! Every ship in uncharted waters
Beyond laws reach confident mariners
The sea is vast and unforgiving
Free to plunder. Men are drawn to it
Unregulated waters a million miles
A fine big ship once darkness falls
Mon Capitan! Hoist skull and crossbones
With homemade grenades and pistols
Slip aboard aggressive and violent
Crew surrenders without a fight
Bloodied and frightened flee over the side
No defense against cargo crime
What’s this? A private vigilante?
Anyone this channel. May Day! May Day!
Waiting for me with a knife
Abandon the raid. Unlucky strife
He’s out to get me. Hit in the neck
In trouble now. Dropped to the deck
Very well sail on little ship
To hell with them! Died a pirates death
Comment posted May 1, 2009 @ 4:18 pm
Vagabonds of the Sea
Rebels, murderers, cutthroats, thieves
Modern marauders of the high seas
Enemies of mankind the risks are great
Carving a crimson career magnifique
Sea-going wealth sails unprotected
Lying in wait. It’s ours for the taking
Opportunity or disaster alone at sea
Alight. Desperate slice of society
Most vulnerable ships a potential victim
Wait, lads wait. Can't you swim?
Wild frontier out at sea
Modern high seas piracy
Ahoy! Every ship in uncharted waters
Beyond laws reach confident mariners
The sea is vast and unforgiving
Free to plunder. Men are drawn to it
Unregulated waters a million miles
A fine big ship once darkness falls
Mon Capitan! Hoist skull and crossbones
With homemade grenades and pistols
Slip aboard aggressive and violent
Crew surrenders without a fight
Bloodied and frightened flee over the side
No defense against cargo crime
What’s this? A private vigilante?
Anyone this channel. May Day! May Day!
Waiting for me with a knife
Abandon the raid. Unlucky strife
He’s out to get me. Hit in the neck
In trouble now. Dropped to the deck
Very well sail on little ship
To hell with them! Died a pirates death
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