AMO Currents - Lawmakers press military leaders for embarked security teams on ships

AMO Currents - Posted: May 21, 2009

Lawmakers press military leaders for embarked security teams on ships

Two recent congressional hearings sparked tension between Department of Defense personnel and members of Congress, ship owners and union officials over the placement of embarked security teams onboard U.S. vessels traveling off the coast of Somalia.

At the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation hearing on May 20, Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) pushed Navy and Coast Guard representatives to provide military escorts. “Why should U.S.-flagged vessels and U.S. citizens be left to essentially fend for themselves?” he asked.

On May 5, the Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security hearing concluded similarly. “The most important thing is the force protection team,” said Capt. Richard Phillips, master of the Maersk Alabama.

American Maritime Officers, the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots (IOMMP), the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (MEBA) and the Seafarers International Union (SIU) prepared testimony for both hearings. “We are extremely disappointed that the Department of Defense has apparently decided not to accept primary responsibility for protecting United States-flag vessels and their U.S. citizen crews,” the unions said.

At both hearings, witnesses and lawmakers discussed the less favored option of changing existing laws to make it easier for companies to hire private onboard security teams. However, the unions noted: “there are serious concerns and risk throughout the maritime industry regarding this approach.”