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Deterrents The Maritime Security Centre-Horn of Africa, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Office, Maritime Liaison Office in Bahrain, Northern Alliance Treaty Organization, and the Inter- national Maritime Bureau all provide ship masters current information to defend against piracy. It's also important that this communication goes both ways. A prudent ship master reports in to the Maritime Security Centre-Horn of Africa when entering those waters. While it's impossible to know how many attacks have been avoided due to this information sharing, it is a key element in a layered defense. Vigilance is another important practice. A vigilant crew is prepared to avoid, evade, and defend against piracy, whether or not armed security is aboard. Finally, ship characteristics act as a key deter- rent. Vessels with low freeboard and slow speeds are much more vulnerable to a pirate skiff. Who Commands the Security Teams? The master of the vessel is ultimately responsible for the safety and security of the vessel and crew, includ- ing any private security team. The command issue can be complex if the security team is a military/uni- formed team. Thus, it's important that there is a strong bond between the master and private armed security teams, and the master, crew, and security team must be familiar with each other's terminology, communication equipment, and procedures. The security team and vessel crew should drill together and must be coordinated in the event of an incident. This is critical, particularly if a situation escalates and the crew needs to muster in a safe area. Looking Forward In view of the current trends, private armed security teams will continue to increase as more countries elect to allow for privately contracted armed security personnel employment. The maritime industry looks to international maritime entities to provide armed security team employment guidance as this becomes more prevalent and to ultimately create a standard by which their tasks can be measured. About the author: 0U 'RKHUW\ LV WKH GLUHFWRU RI WKH 0DULWLPH $GPLQLVWUDWLRQ 2IÀFH RI Security at the U.S. Maritime Administration. Previously he served as the special assistant to the Maritime Administrator. He is a cap- tain in the U.S. Navy Reserves and holds an M.A. from the Naval War College. For more INFORMATION MARAD lists its piracy advisories on its website: www.marad.dot.gov. Find additional guidance on the "Operational Solutions" tile, "Horn of Africa Piracy" link. 44 Proceedings Spring 2012 www.uscg.mil/proceedings