protect your crew

Safety

Citadels

The location of a Citadel, its general use, equipment and orders on when and how it should be used must be a result of clear company policies and the full acceptance of the Masters. In our experience this varies from fleet to fleet, from vessel type to vessel type.

Safety At Sea

In exactly the same way that life-saving equipment, navigational aids and other essential safety and operational items are now standard on board ships, so the equipment and procedures needed  to secure a vessel and her crew against threats such as piracy must also become part of the basic fabric of safety and security.

Water Dragon

Water Dragon® C2 Clear Composite

The ground-breaking Water Dragon® C2 Clear Composite glass protective system, developed for the maritime industry in order to protect vulnerable crews against small arms and blast, has now passed stringent independent UK tests.

The Water Dragon® C2, tested and marketed by Idarat, has now been shown officially to be an effective protection against AK47 rifle fire and blast.  The protection of ship’s bridge personnel from serious injury from gunfire from pirates is of prime importance to the shipping and insurance industries.

Water Dragon® C2 is a significant development of materials used for protection against bomb blast for building glass and already installed in key commercial and government offices, in the UK, as well many other parts of the World.

Christopher Ledger, Director of Idarat Protection Ltd, said:

“For far too long the crews manning the bridge of those vessels likely to be attacked in the Gulf of Aden, the Indian Ocean and off Nigeria have had no tested and effective protection against small arms fire. Now there is no reason for them not to be properly protected.  In fact we believe that Water Dragon® Clear Composite is essential safety equipment, necessary to protect life at sea.”

Bridge Hardening

Bridge-hardening means providing protection against blast and bullets. Hardening of windows against flying glass & bullets is a minimum requirement. Basic personal protection for watch-keepers and bridge staff is also highly desirable. Both have a very positive effect on the morale of staff and on their ability to resist.

Personal Protection

It is important that seamen have personal protective equipment.

Citadels

The use of a robust Citadel is an effective method of vessel/crew protection. However it must be seen as part of a balanced series of measures and not as an item on its own. Good intelligence, proper crew training and drills, barbed wire properly deployed, effective watch keeping and basic bridge protection are the vital pre-requisites for proper use of Citadels.