<p>My son just called and said that ABC news is filming at KP today around 1600 to get background for tonights news. Not sure it that’s ABC NY or national, but thought I’d let you guys know.</p>
<p>I’m really interested to find out what MARSEC level the ship was maintaining when this all started AND at what point the “old man” activated the SSAS…</p>
<p>Captain still being held hostage in a lifeboat apparently…</p>
<p>Our prayers and thoughts are with all our service men & women & midshipmen in harms way. Especially for Capt. Phillips & the families of the crew of the Maersk Alabama. Thank God the destroyer, USS Bainbridge is on the scene!! </p>
<p>As noted in the NY Post: “Capt. Joseph Murphy, a professor at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, said his son was a 2001 Massachusetts Maritime Academy graduate who recently talked to a class about the dangers of piracy. Joseph Murphy said his son was trained in anti-piracy tactics at the academy and received training with firearms and small-arms tactics.”
Piracy expert Roger Middleton </p>
<p>Does King Point brief our midshipmen on hijacking before they go to sea? It was also noted in the article that the crew on the Alabama was unnarmed. How are they to fend off these “highly-trained guerillas, rogue military units, or former seafarers recruited by sophisticated crime organizations. Armed with machetes, assault rifles and grenade launchers” quoted by J. Burnett author of “Dangerous Waters” interviewed on CNN today.
[Dangerous</a> Waters by John S. Burnett](<a href=“http://www.modernpiracy.com%5DDangerous”>http://www.modernpiracy.com)</p>
<p>Last fall my DS was on the Maersk Missouri plotting navigational sitings of pirate ships in the Gulf of Aden. Thankfully his sea trip was without incident, yet brought home exciting tales.</p>
<p>
I don’t know if the school briefs them or not, but after they arrive on their ship for sea year they will be taking part in periodic security drills and execises. All U.S. flag merchant ships must comply with vessel security requirements in accordance with 33 CFR 104.
The specific security drill and exercise requirements are details in 33 CFR 104.230.</p>
<p>[2003</a> CFR Title 33, Volume 1](<a href=“http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/33cfr104_03.html]2003”>http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/33cfr104_03.html)</p>
<p>DD ~ could you please translate the acronyms for us landlubbers. THANKS!</p>
<p>"I’m really interested to find out what MARSEC level the ship was maintaining when this all started AND at what point the “old man” activated the SSAS… "</p>
<p>MARSEC means MARitime SECurity Level. There are three of them and each one requires different cautions to be taken by the ship’s crew. MARSEC 1 is the standard, normal day-to-day operation of the ship, with minimum security measures being taken - this is what ships operate at 99% of the time. MARSEC 2 is when an attack is more probable to happen in a certain area or time. This is a heightend security status and certain things are done to the ship to better ready it against an attack. MARSEC 3 is when an attack is imminent or taking place. This is the maximum security stage and even more measures are taken to ensure the safety of the ship and crew. MARSEC levels can be established by ports or by the master of the ship when it’s at sea. In any case, the master can always decide to take more precautions based on his judgment, whether at sea or in port.</p>
<p>I would venture to guess that they were at MARSEC 2 during the transit off Somalia and quickly bumped up to MARSEC 3 when they realized that other ships in their vicinity were being attacked and/or they first saw the boats approaching them. </p>
<p>SSAS is a Ship Security Alerting System. It’s basically a silent alarm that can be activated from at least one (usually more) location on the ship. The buttons are generally hidden and unlabeled - only crewmembers know where they are. The system is satellite based (shares the same satellite network that EPIRBS use) and doesn’t ring any alarm on the vessel, so captors do not know if it’s activated. </p>
<p>As far as us getting training here in how to deal with attacks, I learned way more about ship security when I was out at sea and participating in the drills we ran than I have in any class here (although, there is a ship security elective offered that I did not take). There’s only so much you can learn in a classroom anyways, since each ship has different layouts and available equipment for defending against attacks.</p>
<p>I like this from the “pirate specialist” interviewed, regarding the pirates:</p>
<p>“If I was a pirate at this point, I think I’d resign and take up gardening”</p>
<p>KPMid09, good thorough answer to MMAMom2011s question </p>
<p>I too would assume that MAERSK ALABAMA was at MARSEC-2 in those waters.</p>
<p>
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<p>The short answer is we dont… Thats one of the reasons we taxpayers have a Navy… to ensure that U.S flag merchant ships have the freedom of movement on the high seas and are guaranteed the right of innocent passage subject to the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982. </p>
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<p>Oliver says:</p>
<p>Yes they do! In December, they hosted representatives from the Office of Naval Intelligence, as well as the FBI to discuss anti-piracy, maritime security and the Navy Task Force 151 to the outgoing 2011 B splits…If your reallu intersted, watch ABC news this evening at 1830 for a brief segment on KP.</p>
<p>Dawgoneit! Missed the segment, but heard Adm. Worley was on it. If anyone finds a link, please post it.</p>
<p>here’s the link:</p>
<p>[ABC</a> News at USMMA | Simple Thoughts](<a href=“http://■■■■■■■.com/dxtcob]ABC”>http://■■■■■■■.com/dxtcob)</p>
<p>Thank you JRH. </p>
<p>Could a silver lining on this dark, historic cloud be the recognition of the importance of maritime power and our only federal maritime academy?</p>
<p>US Navy Seals have rescued the captain and killed at least three of the pirates. Details are still sketchy. I am sooooo proud of our navy and the captain - what courage!</p>
<p>Watch Inside Edition tonight! Might be a KPer on there…</p>
<p>All the listings show is a story on celebrity nudity…I’ll watch anyway.</p>
<p>lol @ oldairforce watching celeb nudity (maybe a famous KPer in the buff?)</p>
<p>In some areas it won’t be on until tomorrow am apparently. In Philly & South Jersey the program runs at 9 am.</p>
<p>It was just on here. Shows a brief interview and some interiors of the life boat on the water front. We never did know what that was. Don’t see em much in Illinois.</p>
<p>“lol @ oldairforce watching celeb nudity (maybe a famous KPer in the buff?)”</p>
<p>Very funny- I’m pretty sure my clothes were on…and probably not that famous…</p>