The complete chief officer 14 piracy

14 Piracy
Just a brief mention of this problem as the incident figures, which are published each year,
continue to grow. The security precautions at sea will be declared in your SMS guide and the
Master will state his requirements when transiting certain areas.
If you are on smaller ships regularly trading in high risk areas, it is wise not to keep too much
of your cash onboard and to take out personal effects insurance as it is unlikely that your
company will reimburse you for your losses.
Both in port and at sea, your ship is not the place for heroics. The chances are that the
pirates will be armed and you are not, so that really indicates that the path to take is
acceptance of the inevitable. Give them what they want and, hopefully, off they will go.
Understandably, this is not the way we would like to deal with the situation but, without
weapons, there is probably very little you can do unless it is just a casual robbery by one or
two persons. In trying to take any action, you must also consider the others onboard who
may suffer as a result of your conduct.
One of the definitions of piracy is an act of robbery on the seas. This has lead to any act of
theft while the ship is under way or at anchor being an act of piracy. One man boarding and
stealing a paint can while the ship is at anchor is hardly an act of piracy yet, because of the
definition, it is included in the overall figures. Real piracy, with the perpetrators armed and
ready to commit acts of violence to gain their aims, is extremely serious and all must be done
to reduce danger to those onboard.
Simple theft can be reduced by good lookouts at anchorages or by not anchoring in high
risk areas. When at anchor you should ensure that all storerooms are locked and high risk
equipment is stowed away in a secure place. Access from the decks should be limited to a
single door. Good deck lighting, with additional lights placed over the side and the duty
watch taking an occasional turn around the decks, provide the signs of an alert ship and
will assist in deterring the casual thief.

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