US Approves Armed Guards

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act, which covers the safety and efficiency of maritime transport — including armed guards aboard U.S. flag vessels.

The bill includes a section entitled the Piracy Suppression Act designed to strengthen existing action against piracy and provide additional training to seafarers on the acceptable use of force against pirates.

The section authorizes armed security on vessels carrying government impelled cargo through high risk waters; and includes a report on ways to improve U.S. efforts to track ransom payments and the movement of money through Somali piracy networks, according to a statement released by the U.S. Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Earlier this month, the U.S. State Department issued a document to American embassy staff to promote the use of privately contracted armed personnel on merchant vessels to deter or prevent pirating off the Horn of Africa.”

Photo courtesy of Canadian Sea Marshalls.