Blackwater sales pitch targets owners and insurers

David Osler - Tuesday 2 December 2008

BLACKWATER, the controversial US private military contractor ready to provide armed protection to vessels sailing close to piracy-prone Somalia, is in London for a series of meetings with possible clients, including both shipowners and insurance interests. 

A spokeswoman told Lloyd’s List that a representative from Blackwater began pitching its services in the UK capital today and will continue to do so both tomorrow and the day after. 

“Our representative is meeting with potential customers to better explain what our capabilities are and how we might be able to assist them in the Gulf of Aden,” she said. “Insurers are interested in having their shipowners hire us, to lower their insurance rates.” 

The marketing effort is not specifically being aimed at Britons, she went on, and is attracting interest of operators from across the spectrum of vessel types. 

The spokeswoman added that Blackwater has had some 70 inquiries from shipowners seeking guards, but has yet to sign any contracts. However, it is hoping to close some business by the time the London mission ends. 

Blackwater operates at the other end of the spectrum to companies such as UK-based Anti-Piracy Maritime Security Services, which equips its employees exclusively with non-lethal equipment. 

Another British concern, Maritime and Underwater Security Consultants, is understood to offer armed personnel, while stressing that such a policy should only be adopted in very specific circumstances, where vessels are judged particularly vulnerable or the cargo carried is of high value. 

Meanwhile, a leading Somali Islamist has called on the country’s “crazy pirates” to release at once Saudi-owned very large crude carrier Sirius Star and all of the other 14 or so vessels being held. 

Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys told Agence France Presse: “We are calling for the immediate release of all international vessels under the command of Somali pirates, who are undermining international peace and trade.” 

Mr Aweys, who heads the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia umbrella opposition group, pointed out that piracy was virtually eliminated during the six months in 2006 when his earlier faction, the Union of Islamic Courts, ruled most of southern and central Somalia. 

“We are the only force that could eliminate piracy in the Somalia waters but the world rejected to give us the opportunity to rule Somalia, despite the will of the vast majority of the people of Somalia. 

“If we are given the opportunity to fight piracy and general lawlessness we can do that comfortably. Piracy is part of lawlessness and during our months of Islamic leadership pirates were underground.”

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