Private Security and Armed Military Guards

Abstract

Since the relaxation of the attitude of many states with regards to merchant vessels carrying armed guards, the number of private companies offering these services has grown at an alarming rate. Whilst some countries have elected to draft interim, or indeed statutory, measures to allow and govern the use of privately contracted armed security personnel aboard vessels bearing their flag, others have chosen to utilise their own military personnel. R Graham Caldwell examines the pitfalls of using serving military personnel, and investigates why governments should think long and hard about private security in the maritime setting.