The Crew of MV Iceberg 1, Abandoned by her Owners, Tortured by Somali Terrorists

[ninetysix-ex-jay]

We are not allowed to carry weapons for a few reasons. The only time we get a security force on board is when we go from the middle east to Boston and when that happens, the Coast Guard comes on and does a 6 hour scan of the entire ship including sending divers down to inspect the hull for explosives. They come on the ship in full gear too with MP5's and M16's. It got better but before the engineers used to get escorted to the engine control room by two guards with M16's. If we had to go in the engine room we would also have a guard with us.

Onboard we cannot have weapons. The ship is registered in Stavanger, Norway (Company HQ is in Oslo). American ships cannot have arms either. Norway approved armed escorts on board while the U.S. has yet to even do that!

Will is correct, we have high pressure water hoses (1.5" fire hoses and a fire pump) to defend ourselves. If anyone has seen Whale Wars its very similar to what the Japs use to defend against the fish fuckers. I am trained for small arms from school but I can almost guarantee I will never have one onboard the ship. Its also important that due to the very nature of our cargo (liquid natural gas) they try to avoid having anything explosive on deck. Its a huge liability to have weapons onboard a ship. In the past the captain used to carry a side arm but thats not allowed anymore since some went insane and ruined it for the rest of us.

[Phoxxanator]

Not to be an a$$, but i'm really amazed no private "security" firms have jumped on this and started renting boats fully of armed guards to escort vessels through the area.

i'm not saying i think it's a good idea, but if a dollar can be made, someone will do it.

[Nick]

Jon, does the unarmed merchant crew setup stem from the cruiser rules from WW1/WW2?

[ninetysix-ex-jay]

Jon, does the unarmed merchant crew setup stem from the cruiser rules from WW1/WW2?

We're considered the 'un-armed service' since we aren't under the Department of Defense. During WW2 the Merchant Marine would have Navy to defend transports and eventually had Navy personal on board to defend against air attacks. The Merchant Marine are civilian mariners so they never carried weapons or at least were never issued weapons.

[Zullock Holmes]

i know of at least one lobster boat with rifles onboard, and they are just in the sound.


I'm assuming this is illegal??


The captain told me in conversation that if anyone ever asked it was for sharks....... seemed like a crock of shit.

[Buffalo Phil]

i know of at least one lobster boat with rifles onboard, and they are just in the sound.


I'm assuming this is illegal??


The captain told me in conversation that if anyone ever asked it was for sharks....... seemed like a crock of shit.

Private boat and personally owned firearms versus international vessel with an untrained, international crew working for a major corporation.

[ninetysix-ex-jay]

i know of at least one lobster boat with rifles onboard, and they are just in the sound.


I'm assuming this is illegal??


The captain told me in conversation that if anyone ever asked it was for sharks....... seemed like a crock of shit.

They carry weapons on board for whatever reason but its legal since they don't go outside U.S. territorial waters, U.S. law applies to them. Plus the boat is registered in the U.S. I've been told that they carry weapons on board to scare divers who might be in their traps. When I used to dive for lobster in Cape Cod thats what they told us anyway. I guess it wouldn't look good for a ship to come into port knowing that they had weapons on board especially with a foreign crew. We get enough nervous people when we come into Boston thinking the ship is going to explode and level the city