[ClearCase_guy]

Does anyone know why ships like this cannot be armed? I can't imagine there is a good reason -- but there must be some crazy reason of some kind.

Personally, I think some unemployed good ol' boys could be convinced to hitch a ride and provide adequate protection without a lot of fuss.

[acapesket]

Beacause they have to report the weapon in every port they arrive in.. it’s a HUGE hassle. Int’l Law I believe.

[Brytani]

Judge Neopolitano was talking about this the other day, there are two reasons they are unarmed.

First is international meritime law we signed onto decades ago agreeing not to carry arms on private vessels carring cargo etc.

Secondly is insurance companies don’t want armed people on board ships so they won’t insure unless they are unarmed.

Basically between the government and insurance companies people who makes their living delivering goods via ocean shipping are sitting ducks.

[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.

[Wisconsinlady]

They had the Captain of some other ship on the news the other night saying they don’t want the crew armed because of a possible mutiny.

But couldn’t they hire some private firm?

[ThomasPaine2000]

I do not understand why they don't group up and convoy together with US Naval escorts, think the North Atlantic during WWII....

[metmom]

Does anyone know why ships like this cannot be armed? I can't imagine there is a good reason -- but there must be some crazy reason of some kind.

I'm not sure, but I thought I heard something muttered about *international law* and *insurance*.

Neither of which is a good excuse.

I'm sure there's plenty of good ole boys from Alabama who'd be willing to sign up.( IIRC, it was their marksmanship that was being discussed during the Iraq war.)

[omega4179]

They cannot be armed because adult seamen cannot be trained

unlike teenage khat chewing illiterates on the finer points of marksmanship and gun safety.

[calex59]

Although some FReepers will tell you that the countries the ships dock in won't let them be armed, this is not true for the most part. Most countries will allow ships to carry arms but they have to turn them in when they get to port and lock them up. They then can pick them up again when leaving port.

The ship's owners in most cases will not allow arms on the ship. This needs to stop, immediately if not sooner.