Launching device is able to immobilise attackers
A ship-borne launching device that fires a rope-based barrier into the path of pirate vessels is being marketed at commercial ships at risk from such attacks.
The Buccaneer, from BCB International, uses compressed air to fire a plastic cylinder containing either a coiled rope or net up to a range of 400m.
The coiled line of net or rope, which has a parachute attached to the end, will unravel and lay out across the surface of the water. As a pirate boat travels through the water its propeller shaft will pick up the line and become entangled.
Jonathan Delf, marine sales manager of BCB International, said that an attacking boat quickly becomes immobilised.
With the trials and testing we’ve done, it has taken us some 45 minutes to cut and disentangle the line from the propeller itself,’ he said. ‘Within that time of course, the target ship is on its way and hopefully help has arrived in the form of naval forces or helicopter support.’
Delf said the Buccaneer can be fired up to five times off just a single cylinder of air, which can be a simple scuba tank pressurised up to 1,000lbs per square inch. It can also be operated remotely. The basis for the Buccaneer technology, he added, comes from another of BCB International’s products called the Wall Breaker.
This technology is currently being used by European and US military personnel as a non-explosive method of entry into buildings where potential terrorists and hostages may be hidden.
‘Essentially it uses compressed air to fire a barrel of water rather like the ones used in office water coolers,’ said Delf. ‘The plastic container shatters on contact and the kinetic force of the water breaks the wall.’
He added that the main challenge for the design team behind the Buccaneer was making sure the line would deploy far enough away from the vessel so that it doesn’t become a risk to the defending ship.
‘There was significant design work done to ensure the line spools out from the projectile in the first instance and that the parachute system works so the line is laid our across the water without having to be attached to the mothership itself,’ said Delf.
BCB recently sold the systems to several large shipping companies that travel near the oil-rich Nigerian Delta, which, like the Somalian coast, is rife with piracy.
Does this system have any effect on jet propulsion (jet-ski) type propulsion devices? I doubt it.
What environmental impact do the nets have? Are they biodegradeable?
Very good and encouraging innovation, for us Mariners. Must make it compulsary to have on all ships and training to personnel for use must be provided.
I hope the net is bio-degradeable and not a danger to marine life. I can’t see many pirates disposing of it carefully afterwards.
Currently the net is not bio-degradeable, although we are looking at alternatives that are. Ultimately we would hope this system would be used in emergencies only. It’s a comprimise really, the hazard of a small net to marine life vs the hazard of an uncontrolled or sinking oil tanker which has become a victim of piracy.
Jonathan
Not quite sure how this would work.
Pirates can fire an RPG and AK47’s at a ship from 1,000 to 1,500 metres away?
Firing a net back with a range of 400metres?
Pirates will stay well out of range of the net and fire RPG’s and AK47’s at the ship or crew manning the net device.
Hi Phillip,
The device is remotely operated – the crew need not place themselves in harms way. An AK-47 is accurate only up to 600m, an RPG roughly the same.
If the pirates stay at range, then they cant board the vessel which buys the ships master time to get help or manouver away.
So what’s stopping the pirates from buying, and using the same thing?
Not much.
um, what’s to stop the pirates from using a device like this to snare their target ships?
🙂 if you can shoot an AK-47 to 600 m off of a speedboat I know some armies (and pirates) that will be glad to hire you…
The net will be super effective against small arms fire and against boarding, especially in the case of a stern chase.
So how many rounds is a ship supposed to carry? How long does it take to reload, and how does the crew protect themselves while doing it? What’s to keep pirates (or a group of pirates) from simply harassing the ship until it has expended its supply of nets?
I’d guess the army helicopters arriving after a short amount of time would keep pirates from harassing the ship. The idea behind this thing is not to ultimately keep pirates away from the ship but to keep them busy until help arrives.
like john doe says, 600m from an AK-47 (or normal variants) is optimistic, even from a stable prone position 600m with an AK is a good shot on a man size target, useful range of an AK during a combat situation is about 350m. RPGs would have a useful range of about 500m during combat from cover, significantly less without..
Anyway, this device looks like the ticket. Effective, non offensive, and safe. Bravo, good design…
“What’s to stop the pirates from using a device like this to snare their target ships?”
The size of the props on ships are much larger than what this simple device would target.
A good idea though I wonder whether it is effective against vessels fitted with rope shears/propeller protectors.
Shears are widely available for virtually all types of small vessels and easy to fit.
Couldn’t the pirates protect their propeller by surrounding the submerged part of the motor with wire mesh? I just don’t want this weapon to be rendered useless by some clever pirate with a few square feet of chicken wire.
I just wanted to say I think this is a great idea, amongst all of the criticism. Yeah, a biodegradable net would be better, but this is a *great* start. It won’t thwart every pirate, but it is definitely better than nothing at all.
I will admit that I do think a R/C helicopter dropping thermite bombs would be cooler though ;-).
If I were piloting a pirate chase boat, I’d simply stop the motor where the line was, slowly troll with all eyes looking out for the rope, find and cut the rope, and Im on my way again. Probably lose a few minutes each time. The water there I believe is quite clear. This seems like a product to make the insurance companies happy, not so much a useful product.
One easily overlooked fact. THis is surface born. A bow hook, or boatswain with a hook can easily snatch this up. The net is a little more complex, but for best efect, your net would open, have weigths to pull it down so it is more like a fisihing net, albeit shorter, the goal is to keep the pirates from being able to easily overcome the defense. The rope, while difficult, will be easy to bypass.
The potential is nice, but will add more security sense than reality, if you have not taken the simple facts in consideration. Most of these attacks are by very small vessels, and a hook can pull the rope up, and if necessary, two men could hold it aloft and simply walk the length of the vessel. If they are in a larger ship, yes, but most attacks are from speed boats, or something similarly small.
Each magazine will hold 5 shots and is reloaded automatically in approx. 6 seconds. The device is fired remotely from the bridge. Clearly the pirates could keep harrassing the ship until rounds are spent but the captain can fire each shot as he sees fit. Training will be provided regarding these matters.
Israel needs to put this on the IDF shopping list….
If the pirates are using a rope cutter on their props or outboard legs it will probably cut the rope. Many commercial fishing boats now use the quicKutter which has been proved to be effective against rope as well as dyneema and stainless steel wire traces.
As a private maritime security consultant I always advocate a layered approach to defence and this device might qualify as one of those. There other fouling devices avaialvble and i would like to see them compared for effectiveness. Of course the ultimate deterrent are the Ex Royal Marines and Police officers I use for security and they have a 100% safe record for deterring attacks. Stay safe: Be prepared!