[webschooner]

Does anyone know why ships like this cannot be armed?

Several reasons:
One: Most world ports won't allow arms or ammunition.
Two: Ship and Cargo Insurers won't allow it -- afraid of crew getting hurt or killed, or doing the mutiny thingy.

There may be other reasons, but that is two major ones.

[ichabod1]

This whole notion that guns in the hands of law abiding citizens causes accidents and deaths has to be smashed. It’s like saying SUVs kill people.