Guns on Ships?

[chuckusaret]

I'm just perplexed as to why cruise ships don't stop plying these waters until the problem is corrected. I'll bet the pirate problem would end quickly if the merchant ships refused to deliver supplies to the area.

 

[JR47]

Ships in ports of call are subject to the laws of the country of the port, as well as the same laws when in territorial waters. That's Maritime Law. Many Counties do not allow their citizens to own firearms privately, nor do they allow visitors to bring them into the country. A ship arriving in a port is different from an air-craft landing at an air-port in which legal respect?

Many countries will actually seize a ship for such matters, and it's cargo. Ships are not diplomatic areas, where the status is conferred upon them of sovereign territory. That would be a HUGE mistake.

The mention of the Turkish ship wasn't a reference to the Merchant marine, just to the fact that Turkish ships tend to employ the less-disciplined sailors of the various groups. Today, most crews are multi-national. Some companies vet them, others are a little less worried about the character of their employees, and problems in ports.

 

[sohcgt2]

Maritime law has always opposed arming merchant vessels and for that reason they have always been targeted by pirates. The thing that interests me is no one on this forum seemed to be concerned with piracy prior to an American flagged ship being targeted. The solution is to stabilize the Somalian Governement so the pirates have no safe haven.

 

[Art Eatman]

Shipping companies are not geared up to ensure that the crewmen are competent in the decisions concerning use of firearms.

Insurance companies find it cheaper to pay ransoms than to cover armed merchantmen. Shippers get lower rates without arms than with.

Some cargoes, such as crude oil tankers or those with some refined products, can be very hazardous in a mix of fumes and muzzle blasts. The "lights" which evaporate from crude oil are even more volatile than fumes from gasoline.

The problem for private vessels is the laws of any country where one makes port. If the country prohibits firearms, or allows only permitted firearms by a licensee, you could well be in deep doo-doo. About like carrying a firearm or ammo into Mexico: Don't. A US citizen going offshore and returning to a US port has to deal only with the laws of any particular state. The US does have its problem states, in that respect.