Jones Act Maritime Lawyer : Houston Jones Act & Maritime Injury Lawyer & Attorney : Arnold & Itkin Law Firm : Offshore Injury, Maritime Law : Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida

Gangs of Somali pirates have turned their attention to American vessels with two attacks on our ships in April alone, but maritime companies have ruled out the option of arming their workers to deal with this deadly threat.

Representatives of shipping companies at a maritime conference in Singapore indicated that they are not keen on arming their workers with weapons to deter armed Somali pirates. These dangerous gangs are comprised of highly sophisticated criminals armed with modern automatic weapons, and their attacks have shown a strong bent of mind and careful planning. Currently, sailors navigating the waters in the Gulf of Aden are forced to prop mannequins dressed in military fatigues and holding fake weapons to fool pirates. Obviously, dummy military personnel have done little to ward off attacks by the gangs. Somali pirates have been attacking international vessels more frequently than ever before.

At the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, President Admiral Rick Guenon is calling for increased action to protect ships and crew from pirate attacks. These actions include arming the crew members of vessels and increasing the number of warships in pirate infested waters. However, arming maritime workers is a sticky issue the Coast Guard is not in favor of. According to Coast Guard representatives, maritime workers are not trained to handle weapons. They also worry about the risk of liability when workers are allowed to carry sophisticated weapons.

It is clear that propping mannequins on the sides of ships, using water hoses to remove ladders pirates use to board ships, and other antiquated measures are doing little, if anything, to deter these gangs. We are looking at an international maritime security problem and so far, there are very few answers that can help keep our sailors, deckhands, cruise ship crew, house keepers, stewards, and other maritime workers safe.

Maritime lawyers must get more involved in demanding a safer and more secure working environment for workers who are at risk of life and limb in these pirate infested waters.

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The FBI has limited experience in maritime security, but after the recent increase in threats posed to maritime workers and crew from pirates, the agency is building relationships with maritime companies in an effort to enhance its security programs.

The agency, from its Maritime Liaison office in Florida, is focusing on the commercial cruising industry, yacht and boating industry, cargo lines, and other maritime related industries. The intention is to increase the FBI's ability to gather intelligence. Cargo vessels and cruise ships, for instance, are much more likely to observe suspicious behavior and can report to the FBI, enabling the agency to take important steps in protecting maritime workers and our ports. The agency plans to develop a comprehensive maritime network that can receive information from vessel lines and other sources, and then use the information to ward off any threats. The agency has established maritime liaison officers at all its field offices that have connections to the maritime industry.

Specific activities that the Florida FBI Maritime Liaison Center has investigated include major security threats like:

• Hijacking
• Bomb threats to vessels
• Smuggling of weapons, explosives, and drugs

Also, the agency is monitoring suspicious activities, like photography and dubious purchases, like night vision equipment and underwater delivery systems. The agency is looking especially at such activities by people belonging to countries that have a history of threatening the U.S. In addition to these, the FBI is also investigating murders, assaults, suicide, and other matters that fall under maritime jurisdiction.

FBI Can Assist with Maritime Security Issues

With its reputation for efficiency and diligence, the FBI has a huge role to play in ensuring the security of maritime workers. Workers on cruise ships, cargo vessels, and crew members of yachts and luxury boats are at greater risk of danger on the seas than in previous decades. Years after 9/11, terrorism continues to be a threat to our country and maritime workers at sea are at an increased risk of dangers from such activities. The recent pirate attacks on American vessels have also increased the need for top level federal assistance for providing security to workers. 

As maritime lawyers, we believe such involvement of the country's top investigating agency is extremely important for the security of maritime workers.

If you have any questions regarding a maritime incident, contact a maritime attorney at Arnold & Itkin LLP for a free consultation.

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