Asia/Pacific News
India Issues Guidelines for Armed Security
India's shipping ministry has released guidelines for ship owners who wish to use armed guards on their vessels, the Indian newspaper Business Standard reports.
While the government agency says it does not endorse merchant ships' use of armed guards, it allows them to use them.
The guidelines call for owners considering hiring a private maritime security company to check the company's ownership, structure, insurance, and financial position.
The ministry says an ideal team size is five people, and the guards should be able to "demonstrate responsible management and use of weapons and ammunition at all times when on board."
About 35 percent of ships that pass through the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea, where piracy is a significant issue, use armed security guards.
The report also highlighted that there has been a significant jump in vessels keeping close to the Indian coastline, rather than moving directly across the Arabian Sea, to avoid pirates.
Various authorities, including the Marine and Port Authority of Singapore and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), say private security guards are not an alternative to using best management practices, including adding extra lookouts and physical barriers, moving at full speed, and alerting maritime security authorities when travelling through dangerous areas.
