Private military and security companies at sea: new positionings on armed protection services against maritime piracy

Abstract

Reflecting a state responsibility for maritime security established at least a century and a half ago, contrary positionings to the armed protection of civilian vessels were supported by several stakeholders of maritime transport. However, in the past two decades, the resurgence of piracy and armed robbery against ships has promoted the provision of armed protection services by private military and security companies (PMSCs), first in Southeast Asia and then at the Horn of Africa. In the second case, the phenomenon has led to positioning changes formerly contrary to such practice, observed by the specialized literature in a fragmented and generic way. This article reviews this literature in order to explore the way in which new positionings were established in the face of greater role assumed by PMSCs, analyzing the conditions and the direction of these changes. The article identifies a turning point in the positioning from some of the main associations of the shipping industry, from the largest maritime insurance market, from the International Maritime Organization and Flag and Coastal States.

Keywords

• empresas militares e de segurança privada. segurança marítima. pirataria marítima.