THe anti-pirate industry is growing

[just Warren]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_special_report_pirates

The worsening situation, say experts, has made it almost inevitable that today's merchant ships will buy in their own armed protection. "Nation-states don't appear to have the ability or the enthusiasm to solve the root problem," says Nikolas Gvosdev, professor of national security studies at the U.S. Naval War College in Rhode Island. "That leaves the private sector having to manage effectively on its own."

I'm shocked!

Now, though, more and more ships carry their own weapons. Trawlers and other deep-sea fishing vessels routinely carry heavy machine guns. Before a ship enters port, industry insiders say, the arms are hidden or thrown overboard; that way, no-one gets caught breaking the law.

What a waste.

Why not anti-pirate mother ships? Located in strategic places in international waters so that a vessel that wants to be armed can rent arms and hire security from a mother-ship on one end of the transit and offload same on the other end and not have any problems with a particular country's laws.

In addition convoy services could be offered. A bunch of ships all travel together and split the cost of an escort vessel or two.

[AJ Dual]

I think the "toss it overboard" solution is either reserved for the largest vessels where such a cost actually is minimal as compared to it's other logistic expenses, (What does private purchase of an M240 cost in comparison to say one of the Maersk mega-freighter's food budget?) or is just dramatic license on the part of those telling the reporter the story.

Most ships are big things, and inspections are more about head count, and paperwork, than actual sniffing about in compartments. A thorough inspection detailed enough to find small arms, or even some crew served weaponry would take weeks, and modern ports don't operate on those timetables, even in the most authoritarian states.

IMO it's really only yachts and small trawler sized vessels that have a "hiding problem".

[never_retreat]

I think the "toss it overboard" solution is either reserved for the largest vessels where such a cost actually is minimal as compared to it's other logistic expenses, (What does private purchase of an M240 cost in comparison to say one of the Maersk mega-freighter's food budget?) or is just dramatic license on the part of those telling the reporter the story.

Most ships are big things, and inspections are more about head count, and paperwork, than actual sniffing about in compartments. A thorough inspection detailed enough to find small arms, or even some crew served weaponry would take weeks, and modern ports don't operate on those timetables, even in the most authoritarian states.

IMO it's really only yachts and small trawler sized vessels that have a "hiding problem".

Some of those ships are so big you could loose a house in a fuel or water tank.

A friend of mine worked on a tug boat, 110' long I think. Thing had a 52,000 gallon fuel tank.
They did not go to the gas dock to fill up, they went right to the refinery and drug out the 4" hose. 

[AZRedhawk44]

"Nation-states don't appear to have the ability or the enthusiasm to solve the root problem,"

Indeed.

A friend of mine is an Anarchist.  I gain greater understanding of his motivations with each and every failure of even our government, let alone those of other nations.

There is not a single nation-state with a proper appreciation for Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness of the law-abiding on this Earth anymore.

[CNYCacher]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_special_report_pirates
 I'm shocked!

 What a waste.

Why not anti-pirate mother ships? Located in strategic places in international waters so that a vessel that wants to be armed can rent arms and hire security from a mother-ship on one end of the transit and offload same on the other end and not have any problems with a particular country's laws.

In addition convoy services could be offered. A bunch of ships all travel together and split the cost of an escort vessel or two.

That is a fantastic idea

[cambeul41]

Why not anti-pirate mother ships?

Good question, good idea.

I also think the ports that ban ships from having the means of self-defense that they need should simply not be served.  Nobody with any sense believes that the cargo ships are pirates or raiders, and no pirates or raiders are going to obey the existing laws.

[Scout26]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_special_report_pirates
 I'm shocked!

 What a waste.

Why not anti-pirate mother ships? Located in strategic places in international waters so that a vessel that wants to be armed can rent arms and hire security from a mother-ship on one end of the transit and offload same on the other end and not have any problems with a particular country's laws.

In addition convoy services could be offered. A bunch of ships all travel together and split the cost of an escort vessel or two.

Stop stealin' my ideas !!!

http://thecancerward-scout26.blogspot.com/2011/03/q-ships-anyone.html

[Bob F.]

Any surplus PT boats still around. Seems they'd be plenty except in stormy weather. Skinnies would be hard pressed to get RPG hit on one, and AK's would be no match for the deck mounted guns.

Where do I sign up??

Stay safe.
Bob

[just Warren]

Uh oh, I've inadvertently pirated anti-pirating ideas. 

[AJ Dual]

I still like the idea of a GPS like satellite constellation with de-orbitable kinetic kill darts/spikes on call for a nominal subscription fee. 

Too pricey now, but someday...

[just Warren]

Certainly not for the small craft the pirates use to close with their prey?

[AJ Dual]

Certainly not for the small craft the pirates use to close with their prey?

You could order different sizes. 

[erictank]

You could order different sizes. 

10-kilo dart for a launch or other smallish craft, 100-kilo rod for a big mothership?

Me likes!

"Number 1 with the works, at the following coordinates..."

[MechAg94]

It would likely be cheaper and easier to just mount an armed seaplane on a number cargo ships to take out the pirates.  The cost lifting mass into space is still expensive.

[De Selby]

The big advantage you have over pirates is with naval weapons, which most pirate hunters and merchants won't be able to acquire.  The reality is that most pirates have probably faced small arms fire many times more than the crew of a "weapons mother ship."  They will be a lot less afraid of our M240s than we will be of their RPKs or whatever else they're fielding, having spent their lives in constant warfare.

/parade

Now, something on the order of a 25mm or larger is going to ruin a pirate's day....that's why navies are needed to do the job.

[AJ Dual]

It would likely be cheaper and easier to just mount an armed seaplane on a number cargo ships to take out the pirates.  The cost lifting mass into space is still expensive.

It was largely a joke, in reference to a joke the last time commercial solutions to African horn/Indian Ocean piracy came up.  I suggested the subscription based orbital KEW/Thor/God-Rods system back then too.

Although with SpaceX new launcher's and even using conservative $/kg estimates, it did just get a lot cheaper... 

[AmbulanceDriver]

The big advantage you have over pirates is with naval weapons, which most pirate hunters and merchants won't be able to acquire.  The reality is that most pirates have probably faced small arms fire many times more than the crew of a "weapons mother ship."  They will be a lot less afraid of our M240s than we will be of their RPKs or whatever else they're fielding, having spent their lives in constant warfare.

/parade

Now, something on the order of a 25mm or larger is going to ruin a pirate's day....that's why navies are needed to do the job.

You know, I'm thinking out loud here, so bear with me. 

Why can't a private corporation buy, say around a 200-300 foot ship as a mother ship, and operate a handful of 80 foot PT-type boats.  Go the route of the PT gunboats, strip them of the torpedo fittings and equip them with 40mm cannons and several twin .50 mounts.  Considering the Bofors 40mm gun has a range of somewhere around 3 miles, I think we can safely bet that we could engage them *long* before they could engage us with small arms and RPG's.  The M2's have an effective range of 2000 meters, 10 TIMES the effective range of an RPG7, and double the MAXIMUM range at which an RPG self detonates.  Additionally, the AK47 has an effective range of 400 meters...  Again, the M2 can engage at 5 TIMES that distance.

Frankly, I don't see why navies are needed...  Set up your mother ships at either end of the run, and your PT gunboats can escort vessels back and forth.  Set up a fee schedule based on # of escort boats you want and tonnage of your vessel...  And then it's just a matter of motoring a couple hundred yards away from the escortee.... 

[Viking]

We need atleast one of these as well. Just because.

[Tallpine]

Frankly, I don't see why navies are needed

To search all the merchant ships and crews for weapons - in order to "prevent piracy" 

[erictank]

It would likely be cheaper and easier to just mount an armed seaplane on a number cargo ships to take out the pirates.  The cost lifting mass into space is still expensive.

Stop steppin' all over my dreams, man!