User-pays proposal for piracy protection
PROTECTING a ship against piracy is an increasingly expensive business. A team of licensed security guards can be expected to submit an invoice for $60,000, and that is without the additional protection of sonic deterrent equipment, which can add a further $20,000 to the bill. Then there are the additional crew payments to consider and the thorny question of insurance premiums, which remain steadfastly high, even for those who take additional protection measures.