Area
Bookmark and Share text size: A A A

Blackwater holding anti-piracy meetings in London

Tuesday, December 02, 2008 10:00 AM | Printer friendly version Printer friendly version | E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend |



MOYOCK, N.C. (AP) - Private security contractor Blackwater Worldwide is meeting with shipping and insurance companies this week to describe what the company can do to protect vessels traveling through the volatile Gulf of Aden.

Blackwater is holding meetings in London from Tuesday to Thursday. Company spokeswoman Anne Tyrrell said the meeting is being held because at least 70 companies have contacted Blackwater about protection services. However, the Moyock-based firm doesn't have any contracts yet.

Somali pirates have increasingly targeted vessels traveling in the Gulf of Aden, demanding ransom for the ships' release. Recently, pirates targeted a huge Saudi supertanker loaded with $100 million worth of crude oil, as well as a Ukrainian ship loaded with tanks and other weapons.

The 20,000 ships that pass through the Gulf of Aden each year travel to and from the Suez Canal. The vessels can't avoid the 1,800 miles of Somali coastline unless they make the costly journey around the entire continent of Africa.

Blackwater began offering anti-piracy services in October, joining a number of other security firms in talks for business there. The company is offering to use a 183-foot escort ship and armed crew.




If you would like to subscribe to the Salisbury Post, click here.

Comments

Notice about comments:

Salisburypost.com is pleased to offer readers the ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. Salisburypost.com cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not Salisburypost.com. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "report abuse" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website.
DO NOT POST:
* Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo.
* Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
* Personal attacks, insults or threats.
* The use of another person's real name to disguise your identity.
* Comments unrelated to the story.

Full terms and conditions can be read here

Salisbury Post is proud to offer our users enhanced commenting features. You can now build user-to-user connections, follow friend's recent posts, add an avatar that fits your personality, and more.




Most Popular Stories
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Forums
  • Blogs




  
Poll
What do you think of the legislature putting parts of Rowan County in three different congressional districts and two state Senate districts?
  • I like it; Rowan will have more members of Congress and the state Senate
  • I don't like it; it's hard enough to figure out who my congressman is
  • I don't care about politics, so it makes no difference to me



 
 
  
  
© 2011 Post Publishing Company, Inc. |