Commentary provided by Chris Taylor of SafeGuard Armour
In recent years, shipping companies have stationed professional security teams on their cargo vessels, to protect their goods in-transit through seas prone to piracy and other criminal activities. While these can cost companies thousands of pounds/dollars over long voyages, the expense is worth the reassurance and defense they offer to crew, passengers, and products – piracy is a significant drain on companies' finances, and stolen goods may also damage their reputations.
These six tips are designed to help maritime security personnel stay as safe as possible on duty, and to get the most out of the range of protective clothing & equipment available on today's market.
One: Know your Destinations – Perform Risk Assessments
Entering any potentially dangerous situation without performing the necessary preparation is a big mistake: carry out a thorough risk assessment on the seas you know you'll cross during your forthcoming voyage, and try to understand the dangers you're most likely to encounter. Piracy has declined in certain regions in the past couple of years: Somalian crews have become less active, with only 15 incidents reported from the region in 2013, a significant drop from 2012's 75; meanwhile, piracy rose in Nigerian waters, with 31 of the area's 51 attacks attributed to nationals.
Preparation is key across the security industry, and particularly so at sea: while aboard a vessel, you can be attacked from all sides, and have only limited cover and vantage points. Try to familiarize yourself with the potential risks as best you can.
Two: Wearing the Right Body Armor
Confronting armed pirates or thieves can, of course, be dangerous – and made more so if you lack the proper protective clothing. Maritime security teams need to carry the best body armor with them on every job, to cope with any and every threat as it arises. Bulletproof vests are the toughest form of armor, and are the most commonly-worn among sea-security teams: as many pirates are known to use handguns and assault rifles in their attacks, the risk of gunfire is high in piracy-prone areas.
Bulletproof vests are manufactured to suit varying types of ammunition, and are tested by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), an internationally-recognized regulator which also assigns levels to each vest based on the amount of protect they provide. Five levels are available – IIA, II, IIIA, III, and IV – covering most types of rounds. The more protection a vest offers, the bulkier it is – while those at level IIA are thin and lightweight, featuring Kevlar only, those at levels III and IV are heavier, with ballistic plates (steel and ceramic respectively) added to the Kevlar to resist fire from high-powered rifles.
You may find that, based on your research, you feel wearing the toughest bulletproof vest is best for the potential risks you might encounter on your next job, as this protects against the most powerful bullets (armor-piercing .30-06 caliber rounds included) as well as those of lower velocities. Be sure to practice maneuvers and movements when wearing any vest for the first time, to get familiar with its design and fit.
Three: Consider Wearing Accessories for Additional Protection
Various forms of extra protection are available, to help you stay as safe as possible. Ballistic helmets, goggles, and shoulder-protection can all prove vital in high-risk, high-velocity gunfire exchanges.
Goggles are manufactured in many different designs, offering protection to the eyes from fragmentation, debris, and, of course, water – if you end up overboard, in the water, then your vision may become obscured, making you even more vulnerable: goggles can prevent this.
Ballistic helmets, again, are produced in many designs, but they generally offer up to level IIIA protection, with added fixtures for attaching lights, radio equipment etc. When combined with bulletproof vests, these can help provide essential defense to the head when under fire.
Shoulder-protectors attach to vests, and offer resistance against certain types of rounds – a shot to the upper-arm can leave you incapacitated, and possibly unable to return fire or protect yourself in close-combat situations.
Four: Explore Maritime-Specific Armor for Water-Ready Use
In standard body armor, contact with water can damage the Kevlar fibers so severely the vest's protective capabilities are negated – if you fall overboard, you're unlikely to remain protected once you get back to your ship. However, some manufacturers now produce bulletproof vests designed specifically for use in maritime security – these are treated to remain effective after immersion in water. These also feature inflatable collars to aid buoyancy, helping you to stay afloat if you struggle to swim due to injuries.
Five: Formulate Emergency Plans with Crew-mates
In an emergency situation at sea – whether attacked by pirates or caught in extreme weather – having a plan can help to save time, and lives. Before setting sail, get to know the people you'll be sailing with (if possible), and be sure to create plans for handling high-risk scenarios: everyone should know what they can do to solve, or handle, the problem at hand. As security personnel, you'll know your responsibilities – protecting the ship, its cargo, and the crew – but try to get a feel for how others will operate at the same time.
Six: Stay in Shape
This may seem to be more of a personal choice, but keeping in good physical condition can be a huge help to security personnel: being fit and healthy will make running, handling weaponry, patrolling on-foot for hours, and self-defense a lot easier than if you allow yourself to become out of shape and sluggish.
