City firm is helping to fight pirates

A CARDIFF firm is helping to fight pirates on the high seas.

Sea Marshals Risk Management, which is based in the city, offers security to private vessels travelling in the internationally-recognised high risk area (HRA) off the coast of Africa.

The company protects a wide range of vessels, including cruise liners, private yachts, bulk carriers and oil tankers. Its main clients are vessels carrying cargo such as grain.

Pirate hijackings have been shown in many films and TV programmes in recent years, with the most famous being big-screen blockbuster Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks.

According to Sea Marshals Risk Management’s director of operations Steve Collins, 50, such representations are not far from the truth.

He said: “It is absolutely similar. There is not much difference – I think it is portrayed quite accurately. If pirates do board a vessel they are exceptionally aggressive.”

Mr Collins says there are “two different methods of piracy” used to try to extort ransom payments.

“The original one was to hijack the whole vessel. They would then go to an island, disembark the whole crew, and hide the vessel somewhere. It sounds ridiculous but you wouldn’t believe how big the ocean is. It could take years for them to get the money.

“The second method we see more on the west coast near Nigeria. They will take the captain and chief engineer and then ransom their return.

“They would then threaten to chop off a hand if they are not paid – then threaten to send the other one. That way they get their money very quickly.

“Once an owner or insurance company pays, it creates incentives for others [to follow that method].

“It could be between £1m and £10m but the final amounts are not revealed. The pirates may demand £10m and then come back with £1m.”

Clearly either method is terrifying for those involved and the firm has very clear procedures to repel potential attacks.

Mr Collins said: “One of the first things they will do is show their weapons and body armour in order to put off the pirates. If this doesn’t work they will fire warning shots – perhaps at their boat’s engine or in the water around them. We are using semi-automatic weapons – we are not firing 100 rounds a minute.

“The pirates will normally be on small, fast vessels and comprise about four to six men. They are fighting against skilled men on a stable platform. It is important to remember that we are on larger vessels that, because of their weight, are travelling slowly. So they are firing from a more stable position.

“We use as little force as possible. We have a similar use of force to the military. We record all the engagements online at riskmap.com to alert other vessels to the danger.”

Of all the times boats with Sea Marshal staff on are approached, 90% end in no fighting. Having armed men on board is usually enough and the pirates will go and look for easier targets. Over the past five years they have had to engage on average between three and four times a year.

If pirates ever board a vessel with private security staff on, it will be the end of the company as reputation is everything, said Mr Collins.