Author Topic: Netherlands won't put military guards on ships  (Read 1878 times)

Offline Michael van der Meer

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Netherlands won't put military guards on ships
« on: July 04, 2009, 09:38:06 AM »
.....I am sure the rest of the shipping related people in the Netherlands fully disagree with below decision from the parliament.....  :-x

NETHERLANDS WON'T PUT MILITARY GUARDS ON SHIPS
The Dutch parliament has agreed to a decision by the country's defence minister not to put armed soldiers on Dutch
ships travelling through the high-risk piracy zone off the Somali coast. Eimert van Middelkoop was willing, he said, to
ask the commander of the EU's anti-piracy mission to allow a Dutch frigate to escort especially vulnerable ships, those
with a low freeboard and whose speed was less than 10 knots. This would apply to "six to eight ships" per year. Van
Middelkoop opposes the placement of military personnel on civilian ships due to the uncertain legal implications, the
costs and the risk of escalating violence from pirates. Source : Maritime Global Net
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Offline Bart Hakze

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Re: Netherlands won't put military guards on ships
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2009, 12:37:10 PM »
I, as a sailor do not agree with the above decision  of our esteemed parliament, I think the navy has to go to their archives and find out why it's been established: they might find out that was to protect the nation's merchant marine vessels and their precious cargo (especially the last).
So instead of sending all our troops to other area's and spend all the money there, get a good part of them to the trouble area off the Somali coast and protest their own countrymen & assets!

I'm not saying I don't agree with sending armed forces to other trouble area's, I'm saying: figure out the priorities.....and at the moment the whole pirate-thing is just not high enough on the list.
aka SeaBart

Offline Michael van der Meer

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Re: Netherlands won't put military guards on ships
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2009, 12:54:45 PM »
Yes, fully agree. What's the reason for the navy? Indeed, to protect their / the merchant fleet as well.

Let the nation's merchant fleet unprotected against those pirates is unacceptable, but 'sending a fregat' in not really useful, their operating range is so big that any navy vessel will be too late. If a navy vessel will catch a pirate boat, they're just lucky.


I am wondering if their territory is now smaller due to the strong Indian monsoon?  :-D
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Offline Mark davies

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Re: Netherlands won't put military guards on ships
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2009, 03:28:55 PM »
The story originally broke when a Dutch owner requested armed support on one of his vessels.

This was refused as the vessel actually flew the Luxembourg flag, the owner wanted to have his cake and eat it.

 

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