Greece prepares the arrival of armed private guards on its ships

(BRUSSELS2) The Greek government is preparing a draft law authorizing the presence of armed guards on board Greek merchant ships. The Minister of Citizen Protection, Christos Papoutsis, presented a bill to this effect to his government colleagues on Thursday (November 24).

According to this project, detailed in several Greek newspapers, owners or operators of ocean-going vessels (which do not engage in cabotage) will be able to apply to the ministry for a permit allowing them to have a team of armed private guards (a minimum of six) to against piracy attacks. The measure will therefore concern both vessels flying the Greek flag and those flying other flags (of convenience).

The permit must be accompanied by a risk analysis and take into account the opinion of the ship's captain. The authorization will last six months but can be renewed. It will be automatically extended when it expires if the ship is on its way, until it arrives at a port, to disembark the private guards and their equipment.

The company providing the private guards should be legally established and operated in a member state of the European Union or the European Economic Area. But it can also be established and operate legally in another State, in particular a country that participates in international actions to fight against piracy.

The private armed guards present on board will remain under the authority of the captain throughout the journey and may only act with his authorization, taking into account security threats, in particular if it is imminent, according to a procedure provided for in the plan. ship security. The weapons and ammunition of the private armed guards will be kept inside the ship in a restricted access area (only the captain or his second in command will have access to them, as well as the head of the private armed guards and the agents listed in the permit). Outside of high-risk pirate areas, any use of weapons and ammunition will be prohibited. Armed guards deprived of this right will not be members of the ship's crew.

The provision of private armed guards should not, however, be a substitute for not taking and applying the best security practices, recommended by the International Maritime Organization, it is believed, however on the Greek side.