Armed civilian ship

[garyd]

You do know that the hull of an average ocean liner has to be about the same thickness or thicker of tank armor just to take the pounding you get at sea in some places around the world and the east coast of Africa is one of them. currents and prevailing winds going in opposite directions can produce waves of a poer that will make an RPG seem like a door knocker and most of the newer ships are double hulled anyway. That's why I said much of anything above 200 tons is pretty much RPG proof.

One of the reasons RPGs works so well on tanks is because the space inside is so confined that the crew gets killed. That isn't happening with a Container ship. An RPG, depending on which one, puts a hole in a tank the size of your fist. That won't come close to sinking a 50k ton cargo ship any time soon if at all.

 

[Old Rocks]

Flammable cargo would not be a good thing with someone shooting an RPG at you. We had a lot of excitement in Tacoma, Wash. one year when a barge loaded with gasoline ran over some fisherman's net, and he fired some flares at it. I think that the Browning would be adaquete.

 

[Old Rocks]

Another thought, how about creating a "Seeadler" type ship?

 

[DiveCon]

Another thought, how about creating a "Seeadler" type ship?

isnt this what was the thinking behind the littoral ships that were being built?

http://www.gizmag.com/us-navy-littoral-combat-ship-uss-independence/9324/

and then canceled

 

[p kirkes]

Some here have posted that the Merchant Marine companies are reluctant to put arms or armed personnel on their ships because of insurance costs and other overhead costs.

If so, then what about hiring mercenaries in escort craft to shepard these ships transiting this area. The cost can be defrayed as a security fee to the customers of the cargo.

The escort craft need not be larger than a PT boat and tended by a mother ship in the area.

Maybe the insurance companies could provide the "flag", to secure their investment.

Would Maritime law cover this favorably? As self defense, protection of property and/or lives, surely.

Regards,

 

[garyd]

Almost certainly and that is an excellent idea.