India considers armed guards on merchant ships

The Indian government is considering to allow armed guards on merchant ships to deter pirates, especially those from Somalia sailing closer to Indian waters, Seatrade Asia online reports. The ministry of shipping is discussing internally and across other ministries such as home affairs and defence before making a final decision, which is expected to come in seven to 10 days. “The ministry (of shipping) is veering towards placing armed guards onboard,” said Sunil Thapar, director, bulk carrier and tanker division at Shipping Corporation of India (SCI). Somali pirates have expanded their attacking range to cover the entire Indian Ocean from the Gulf of Aden, as they hijacked mother ships to venture further out into sea. According to the International Maritime Bureau, there were 219 attacks in 2010 in which 49 vessels were hijacked and 1,016 crew members taken hostage.


Sailing in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean has become more expensive due to insurance premiums, which have doubled from last year to $50,000-60,000 per trip, according to Amit Oza at chartering firm Jaldhi Overseas.
(Source:http://en.portnews.ru)