http://www.gpexaminer.com/?p=88

Piracy in the Gulf of Aden has increased too much for the past few years. International community is trying to stop piracy in the region by taking several measures. NATO is currently operating its frigates in the Gulf for patrol, search and rescue missions as well as some other countries. However, this is not enough itself to stop the ships being hijacked.

When the pirates get on board a ship, they first deactivate the crew, take control of the ship, look at the cargo and ship’s safe and see if it’s worth taking the ship to their home port to ask for a ransom. Many shipping companies had to pay millions of dollors to get their ship and many sailors have been kept prisoner for months in bad conditions. The area is too wide and it is not easy to control the whole region.

So here are some tips for the captains who want to navigate their ships safely through the Gulf of Aden.

1.Adjust fuel gauges in the pilot house to show low fuel at all times, keep a real gauge some where else. The pirates will leave your ship if they see there is not enough fuel to take the ship to the port.

2.Hide your ship’s safe in a secret place in one of the black water tanks. The smell would not keep them away but they would not think a white person would keep his money in shit.

3.Do not renew the exterior paint of the ship, try to keep it as old as possible. This will also cut your costs. They may think it is not worth while to hijack such an old ship.

4.Install an “emergency pirate reaction button” which will drop the propellers immediately into the ocean. Their boats will not be able to tow the ship all the way to their home port.

5.Deploy dummy US Marines on the main weather deck with wheels on a track. They should have fake guns and move on the tracks at all times.

6.Alternatively, you can deploy fake KKK members with their white hoods on their heads and a gallows tree with a hanging dummy.

7.Keep a fake consignment note in the ships files which lists ship’s cargo as “chemical and biologic toxic waste”.

8.Write “Slave Ship” in huge white letters on both topsides of the ship.

9.Raise the “Whisky” / “Requiring Medical Assistance” flag. They suffered enough from Aids, they would be scared to get on a ship with another epidemic.

10.Construct a second engine room with very old and broken engines and equipment installed. Label the real engine room hatch as “LIBRARY”.

11.All crew, including the captain should wear old and torn pants and shirts. Everyone must have beard at all times. Tell the pirates that you are not getting paid for 2 years, you have actually hijacked this ship and operating it illegally. This is a little tricky, they can ask you to be partners.

These are what I have come with. Try to think what else could be done and add them in your comments on http://www.gpexaminer.com/?p=88