Countries criminalising ships’ guards
Countries are arresting maritime security operatives that work on commercial ships and this is putting their success at deterring piracy at risk, Shephard has learned.
Maritime security operatives guard merchant vessels and prevent them from being boarded by pirates. This means that the crew are safe from being captured along with their ship and then held hostage for a ransom.
But Steven Jones, maritime director at the Security Association for the Maritime Industry (SAMI) has warned that by effectively criminalising the operatives it could mean a reduction in level protection for ships and an increase in piracy incidents.
He told
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