Vessel Protection - Floating Armouries and the Law

Floating armouries, which store weapons for Private Maritime Security Companies, operate under a patchwork of international and national laws. With no specific global regulations, they fall under the jurisdiction of port, coastal, and flag states. There's a growing push for tighter oversight, including mandatory registration and certification, to enhance transparency and safety.

No international body regulates or evaluates the security of floating armouries.  

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has the potential to establish regulations and standards, such as the International Small Arms Control Standards. These guidelines focus on the management of weapon stockpiles and could be relevant to floating armouries.

There are currently no regulations governing the storage capacity of floating armouries or setting limits on the amount of arms and ammunition that can be kept onboard.

Recommendations

Pressure groups are making recommendations to better regulate the use of floating armouries that include:

1. Conduct an international in-depth study into the number of floating armouries currently operating.
2. Create a central registry listing the names and IMO registration numbers of all floating armouries, their flag state, owner/manager and insurer. 
3. Mandatory registration of the quantity of arms and ammunition permitted to be stored on board each named vessel.
4. Require insurance companies to undertake regular, unannounced compliance checks and track armoury operator details and the PMSCs that use them. They should require a copy of the correct documentation to store arms and ammunition on board.  
5. Mandate and appoint an international body such as the IMO to review existing control measures that can be adapted to regulate, monitor and inspect armouries.
6. Enforce strict regulations relating to record keeping and sanction investigations and prosecutions for any transgressions
7.  Mandate that all operators of floating armouries must hold ISO 28000 and ISO/PAS 28007 certification. 
8. Governments who have given permission for PMSC floating armouries immediately revoke permission for vessels flagged to Paris MOU or Tokyo MOU ‘black listed’ countries.
9. Governments who have given permission for PMSCs to use floating armouries release information on the armouries used, the companies that use them and the names of the companies that operate them.
10. Floating armouries are flagged to their operating company’s country of registration and not under a flag of convenience.
11. Introduction of standards governing floating armouries  
12. Countries develop a certification process to show that PMSCs have the necessary documentation to use arms and ammunition.  
13. Procedures are introduced to ensure that if a PMSC or armoury operator goes into administration that any weapons and ammunition are securely stored and subsequently destroyed.