Indonesian
navy chief Adm. Ade Supandi has said he is not certain the government’s plan to
provide security involving armed military personnel on board coal vessels
traveling in areas prone to piracy can be implemented, local media reported.
He said sea
security operations for trading vessels is regulated by the IMO, and under
current rules, there are articles that prohibit the placement of military
personnel on merchant vessels, although some countries allowed the use of
weapons on board.
“Actually,
the security of merchant vessels sailing on the sea is stipulated in IMO
regulations. Several rules don’t allow the presence of military personnel on
board, although several countries provide security through the equipping of
weapons [for crew members] on board,” Ade was quoted as saying.
Citing the
IMO, Ade further said, it was only armed civilian security personnel that were
allowed to provide security on merchant vessels. The number of armed security
personnel was also limited and monitored tightly, he noted.
Involving
military personnel in providing security on merchant vessels would only lead to
unhealthy competition among shipping companies. He said one option the
government could take to protect Indonesian trading vessels against piracy was
to allow the Navy to escort vessels as far as the sea boarder of their
destination country, from where an escort from the destination country could be
arranged.
Coal boats
and other merchant vessels should also take a safe route decided by authorities
to avoid acts of piracy, such as ones recently perpetrated by Abu Sayyaf
militants on Indonesian vessels in southern Philippine waters.
Defense
Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu had previously said the government would enrol the
military in providing sea marshals to provide security on coal ships sailing to
the Philippines
http://www.seatrade-maritime.com/news/asia/indonesian-navy-chief-sinks-sea-marshal-onboard-coal-vessels-plan.html
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