Question 1

Forty minutes after boarding, pirates are hammering on the citadel door. A voice in broken English says: "Start engines or we shoot crew outside." There are no crew outside — all are accounted for in the citadel. You have confirmed with UKMTO that naval assets are 2 hours away.

Should you start the engines and allow the vessel to be moved?

Accepted Answer

Do not start the engines without considering the implications carefully with UKMTO. If the vessel moves, the naval response is complicated — the position changes, and the vessel may be moved to a hostile jurisdiction or remote anchorage. However, this is a judgement call for the Master in real time. Inform UKMTO of the demand and follow their guidance — they have current intelligence on the group and the tactical situation There is no universally correct answer to "comply vs resist" demands during a piracy incident — this is a life-safety judgement under extreme uncertainty. The bluff (crew outside) has been called — you know it is false. UKMTO and naval command have tactical intelligence you do not have. The correct approach is: inform UKMTO of the specific demand immediately, and act on their guidance. Neither blanket compliance nor blanket refusal is right. Starting engines changes the tactical picture significantly; remaining stopped keeps the naval intercept coordinates stable. The Master must weigh this with the best available external advice, not alone.

Question 2

MV AMBER BAY, 0320. ARPA shows two high-speed contacts approaching from the south at 18 knots on a converging course. Current range 4nm, CPA in approximately 13 minutes. The contacts show the characteristic track of skiffs — but no weapons are visible on camera and no radio hail has been received.

At what point should BMP5 anti-piracy measures be initiated?

Accepted Answer

Initiate BMP5 protective measures NOW — at 4nm with 13 minutes to CPA. BMP5 states that master should activate the Ship Protection Measures as early as possible. Waiting for visual confirmation of weapons at close range leaves no time to complete the citadel muster, raise alarm, contact UKMTO, and close all access points. Early action costs nothing if it is a false alarm; late action can cost lives BMP5 is explicit: Ship Protection Measures should be implemented as early as possible when a suspicious vessel is identified. At 18 knots closing on a converging track, 4nm gives approximately 13 minutes — barely enough time for a full crew muster, access point hardening, and citadel preparation if started NOW. Waiting for confirmation at 2nm leaves 6–7 minutes — demonstrably insufficient. Hailing on VHF alerts the attackers that they have been seen and does not confirm intent faster than ARPA. Evasive manoeuvre should run simultaneously with alarm activation, not instead of it. UKMTO must also be notified immediately.

Question 3

The general alarm has been sounded. Crew are mustering toward the citadel. At the last roll call, three crew members are not yet confirmed in the citadel: the bosun (last seen on the stern deck), an AB who was on watch on the bridge, and a cook who was in the galley. The skiffs are now at 1.5nm.

What is the Master's decision?

Accepted Answer

The Master (or the last designated person) must search for the missing crew while the rest lock in. If the missing crew cannot reach the citadel before the pirates board, the Master must make a real-time decision: delay citadel lockdown (risking the majority) or secure the citadel and attempt to communicate with those outside. BMP5 recommends that those outside should shelter in another pre-designated area if they cannot reach the citadel in time This is the hardest decision in citadel planning — there is no clean answer, only degrees of risk. BMP5 recommends pre-designating an alternative shelter point for crew who cannot reach the citadel. The citadel must be locked down before pirates reach it — a citadel that is breached provides no protection to anyone. Crew on deck to "present a front" is dangerous and contradicted by all BMP5 guidance. The Master's place is in the citadel with the crew — not alone on a bridge that cannot be defended. The Master remaining on bridge alone is a documented fatal error in historical piracy incidents. Trained, pre-planned muster routes prevent this moment.