Just saw Captain Phillips for the first time...

[brettkeating]

[The Gleam]

…and I probably spent the entire movie saying "Why didn't you idiots bring guns with you on that ship?!?"

I mean, if they just had even a couple handguns and rifles, the Captain wouldn't have had to be rescued by two naval ships, helicopters, SEAL team, etc.

I mean it was a bad *** rescue to be sure, but I feel like I (we) pay for all that heavy response and I kinda feel like saying "Oh, you didn't bring guns with you? Your bad. Sorry."

For the most part, now they do. Since about that incident, the merchant ships navigating these waters and similar areas, have been hiring third-party security teams to ride along and prevent piracy take-overs. Guess what - it has worked. It has even put many of these pirates "out of business". Many have gone on record stating the same.

Ironically, it was the insurance companies that helped clear the way and seek easing the restrictions for an allowance to have armed men aboard, due to the losses the insurance companies were facing.

Get big money involved, or the potential loss thereof, and things happen.

[TeddyBallgame]

I saw the movie a few weeks ago, and, thought the same thing

I don't know if there are any laws regarding those container ships, and, firearms, seems like that is the way many of them operate...a few well placed mounted guns could've nipped that whole thing in the bud...a few side arms wouldn't have hurt either

[Apec]

Carrying weapons into certain other countries' borders/waters has to pass a lot of red tape. Those making company policy for the ships probably deemed the risk of a pirate boarding less than the risk of getting nailed for illegal importation/possession by another country's customs/security forces.

[GM4spd]

As soon as Merchant vessels start carrying arms,or people carrying arms,they can be deemed
"Man o war" or Naval vessels,which carrys a whole new set of rules when
calling in ports worldwide. As a general rule US flagged vessels,container ships,
tankers,etc do not carry weapons on board. Some companies I sailed with
had the captain keep a handgun locked in the ships safe( usually in his
office). I know my present employer does NOT allow any
weapons on US or foreign flag vessels,no matter WHAT waters they are in,
they also do not allow any armed personnel on board,either.We have had
Nigerian pirates board some of our vessels in that part of the world and
kidnap people for ransom.My employer does not acknowledge these
incidents.
Pete

[BKinzey]

Yep, when you pull into port you have to deal with that country's firearms laws. I believe in some cases the private security joins the ship in international waters and then leave before the ship leaves international waters.

[The Gleam]

Yep, when you pull into port you have to deal with that country's firearms laws. I believe in some cases the private security joins the ship in international waters and then leave before the ship leaves international waters.

Exactly - that is how it's done.

[TKM]

Apparently he wasn't known for his decision making skills.

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-10-11/hero-of-captain-phillips-movie-portrayed-as-villain-in-lawsuit

[Full Clip]

I thought the movie was a perfect metaphor for the disarming of the American citizen: Render the population defenseless, which only encourages criminals to prey upon them, necessitating a massive, far-reaching police force that specializes in over reacting to any event.

[osis32]

You've obviously never seen the Russian marine YouTube video advertising their abilities against Somali pirates. Those hijackings are a thing of the past now.

[welchy]

Apparently he wasn't known for his decision making skills.

http://www.businessweek.com/articles...ain-in-lawsuit

Where did you get that from the article?

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[TKM]

Where did you get that from the article?

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[Sohum63]

I watched it with a family friend. He is probably the most anti gun person I know personally, at least that has descused it with me, fortunately his stance is he doesn't want to own one but doesn't seem to care about others owning them. The first thing he said when the pirates boarded the ship was something to the effect of "without guns, you guys are f-ed, sometimes you just need a gun."

[WnP]

Yea, he was advised to stay 600 miles away from the coast but only was 300 away. He was being a company man and almost died.

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[SB1964]

Intl. waters firearms are full speed. Ports of call, different story, that's the tricky part. I took a Tanker Capt & his buddy fishing, heard some good stories. He said he uses a .308 (don't remember model) an LRAD (military contracts) & devices to discourage pirates from getting closer. He said it's fair game if they're not touching the ship, once they're on the ladder, different story. Pirates have their own style of ladder device, they will roll up & deploy it if you don't get them. One question I did ask is if most Tanker ships have Rifles, he said yes. Military contract shipments are the trickiest.