Amid escalating insurance premiums and the growing cost of protecting property from criminal elements roaming the high seas, British company Black Pearl Maritime Security has been set up to meet the demands of a shipping and offshore industry besieged by piracy.
Black Pearl is a privately owned security company providing an extensive range of maritime security and anti-piracy services for both commercial and private vessels. The company's highly trained teams, comprising former military and police personnel, are deployed to protect vessels, crew and cargo. During hostile engagements, these teams are trained and prepared to deploy a variety of defensive measures in accordance with IMO policies.
All personnel are subject to rigorous background checks prior upon recruitment, and the company ensures they are trained to the highest standard and continue to maintain these standards. Part of Black Pearl's policy is for these personnel to endeavour to pass on the knowledge and experience to the crew through structured training packages while under transit.
Founded in 2010 by CEO Chris Stewart and maritime operations director Ben Sicklen, Black Pearl has grown strongly. The company aims to become a recognised, trusted name throughout the global maritime industry, synonymous with outstanding planning, prevention and protection in anti-piracy operations.
Alongside this aim, Black Pearl's corporate social responsibility policy includes the establishment of The Black Pearl Foundation, which is committed to supporting all seafarers affected by acts of piracy by supporting future development and retraining if they are unable to return to work at sea, as well as working in areas such as Somalia to tackle the root causes and bases of maritime piracy. The Foundation expects to be ratified soon by regulatory body The Charity Commission for England and Wales. Among other projects, the Foundation recently engaged with the government of the Comoros Islands with a view to developing the fields of tropical medicine, public health, emergency care and midwifery in the islands' seafaring community.
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