Anti Piracy Services

HudsonTrident is a recognized leader in providing quality maritime security services and training worldwide. The company is a fully owned subsidiary of Hudson Marine Management Services (HMMS) and maintains a Recognized Security Organization (RSO) status in eleven (11) countries (Algeria, Chile, Georgia, Greece, Indonesia, Ireland, Kenya, Nigeria, Norway, Philippines, and Portugal).

HMMS has offices in the U.S., U.K., Norway, Italy and Greece. Within the U.S., HudsonTrident has offices in Philadelphia, Houston, Los Angeles/Long Beach, San Francisco and Seattle.

1. CAST Level One – Unarmed, employing non-lethal tactics;
2. CAST Level Two – Armed, employing non-lethal tactics and last resort lethal tactics in self-defense on board the vessel to protect life in response to escalation of violence by the pirate attackers;
3. CAST Level Three – Armed, employing appropriate non-lethal and lethal tactics in direct response to the level of violence perpetrated by the pirate attackers.

HudsonTrident’s security teams are comprised of a combination of former U.S. Navy Seals, other Special Forces and Law Enforcement as well as Merchant Mariner Personnel. The Navy Seals are Tier 1 and 3 (some with merchant mariner credentials) and have extensive experience in counter piracy operations and vessel board, search and seizure. Our Law Enforcement Personnel have years of experience in gang investigation, handling, criminal evidence collection and as members of Special Weapons and Tactics Teams (SWAT).

HudsonTrident provides a complete team that includes counter-terrorism and anti-piracy specialists including those with merchant marine licenses well-versed in ship operations, ISPS security requirements and practical security mitigation strategies as well as international law protocols.

We believe providing additional support and expertise to the vessel Master and Crew will afford the necessary capability to overcome threats posed by the current situation in High Risk Waters throughout the world. Current ships Crews, while knowledgeable and experienced, need the augmentation and anti-piracy knowledge and capabilities our teams bring to support the Master in his/her duties to protect the safety of the ship and Crew. Our teams will be able to provide additional lookouts, operate existing vessel security equipment and our own equipment to deflect pirate incursions and increase the deterrence factor preventing their boarding of the ship. Prior to entering the High Risk Waters, our teams are prepared to work with the Master and Crew to prepare the entire ship for the transit.

Our standard Crew Augmentation Security Team (CAST) consists of 5 persons. We feel that number of personnel is the minimum number necessary to safely secure the vessel and provide the necessary support to the Master and Crew. However, HudsonTrident will work with the client to customize and provide a higher level of support as necessary.

HudsonTrident fully understands the issues, laws and regulations that govern the conduct of vessels both entering and departing sovereign waters and conduct on the High Seas under International Law as well as liability issues and concerns of the insurer. To prevent surprises and provide full transparency of conduct of the HudsonTrident CAST while discharging its duties on the vessel, HudsonTrident will establish and execute a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) of Security Operations (Rules of Engagement and conduct of the HT CAST while on board the vessel) prior to deployment with the Company Security Officer (or appropriate individual) and the vessel’s Master to ensure a complete understanding of responsibilities, processes and procedures that will be followed by the security team while on board the vessel.

HudsonTrident keeps all operations and information provided by the client strictly confidential. Information gained will not be shared between clients. Each client is provided customized services tailored to meet their requirements and the services are agreed upon before deployment. While the knowledge and experience gained will serve to improve our teams capabilities and services, the specifics of each operation will be kept absolutely confidential.

Our teams are constantly provided the latest intelligence information through HMMS’s Threatlogix system http://www.hudsontrident.com/threatlogix.htm , from information garnered through continuous interface with military and intelligence agencies in the area of operations as well as from the U. S. military. We are in direct communications with Joint Task Force (JTF) 151 and the military liaison officer in Bahrain and similar services in other High Risk Areas. These groups provide direct counter piracy information on a daily basis.

HudsonTrident’s CAST members are currently operating in Thailand, Morocco, Egypt, Spain, Jordan and the Middle East and the Philippines and throughout the United States and can quickly deploy to support your vessel operations.

Understanding that HudsonTrident CAST members may have to board vessels well outside of High Risk Waters and ride the vessel for a number of days before our full services are needed, our pricing is tiered accordingly. When our services are not necessary while the vessel is transiting outside of High Risk Waters a lower rate is charged and is only escalated to the higher rate while transiting through the High Risk Waters.

The latest U.S. Coast Guard Directive for U.S. flagged vessels operating in High Risk Waters recommends that a vulnerability assessment be conducted prior to entering High Risk Waters and the establishment of an anti-piracy plan. While this directive is intended for U.S. vessels, the measures proposed are an industry best practice that can be adopted by all vessels intending to transit High Risk Waters. HudsonTrident has unsurpassed experience in conducting both vessel and port vulnerability assessments and highly recommends this practice for all of our clients. We are ready to support vessel owners and operators to conduct individual ship and fleet vulnerability assessments, provide recommendations and amend Ship Security Plans to incorporate appropriate procedures and cost effective mitigation strategies.

HudsonTrident is offering an 8 hour Anti-Piracy Seminar and Exercise. This course is directed toward Company as well as Ship/Vessel Security Officers and provides the latest information on the pirate situation and ways to secure and mitigate threats to your vessel. This course includes case studies of successful and unsuccessful efforts of pirate attacks, the latest intelligence on High Risk Areas around the World and the International efforts and response to this ever-changing situation. It will include a presentation on recommended, proven, processes and procedures that can be incorporated to better secure your vessels as well as the technology and techniques that can be employed to protect the vessel and Crew. The 2 hour exercise will include an actual boarding attempt and attack situation with the ship practicing recommended countermeasures. The exercise will then progress to the Crew practicing the recommended reactions following a successful boarding by pirates. The training can be divided into two parts so as to fit into company and ship schedules. The training can be added to the training already required by the ISPS Code and already delivered by HudsonTrident.