Join our crew and become one of the 104,640 members that receive our newsletter.

Safeguard-body-armor

Body Armor For The Professional Sailor

GCaptain
Total Views: 41
February 17, 2014

Safeguard-body-armorWhether working for the navy or a shipping line, seafarers are exposed to several threats in their line of work. The fact that they stay in the high seas for several weeks or even months means that they won’t be saved by anybody in case they are attacked. This means that they have to be always prepared and protected against all types of attacks.

Over the past few years, hundreds of ships have been hijacked by pirates in the high seas. Most of these pirates are always heavily armed with automatic submachine guns and they are always ready and willing to kill anybody who gets in their way. Unless the ship crew is offered protection against such weapons, there is no way that they can stand to defend themselves when attacked.

Shipping lines are therefore at risk of losing a lot of money unless they offer their employees proper protection with the right body armor. The navy also can’t protect their country unless they are protected against potential threats from enemies.

The only way to protect seafarers and hence ensure that they do their jobs optimally is by offering them ballistic protection body armors. You can decide to go for level IIIa or level IV ballistic body armor depending on the level of threat you are likely to face.

When exchanging fire with an enemy it is possible that a ship or boat could get damaged, start leaking water and eventually sink. If the crew is in the deep sea, they risk drowning unless they have inflatable life jackets.

The good thing with most modern body armors is that they can be fused with inflatable life jackets and hence save the seafarer(s) if the boat or ship sinks. Materials such as the Kevlar can be laminated with extra protection levels to prevent ballistic threats and at the same time withstand water without being damaged.

Regardless of how safe you consider the sea, you shouldn’t risk being attacked while unprepared and unprotected. Even small personal boat owners can still be attacked and stabbed or even spiked to death. The only way that you can be totally safe is by acquiring a body armor that protects you against the kind of threats you are likely to encounter in the high seas.

If you are planning to purchase body armor, you shouldn’t just buy any armor that you come across. This is because body armors are designed to protect against specific threats. Body armor can either offer protection against spikes, stabs or bullets but not all of them. This means that you must first assess the kinds of threats you are likely to face before making up your mind on the most suitable body armor.

If you decide to go for ballistic armors, you need to choose between level II, IIIa or IV ballistic body armors. Level II armors offer protection against small, handheld guns while level IIIa and IV offer protection against high velocity automatic weapons and submachine guns respectively. To save on money, you should purchase an armor that will protect you against the threats you are facing. No need to buy a level IV armor while you are facing level II ballistic threats.

Tags:

Unlock Exclusive Insights Today!

Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.

Sign Up
Back to Main
polygon icon polygon icon

Why Join the gCaptain Club?

Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.

Sign Up
close

JOIN OUR CREW

Maritime and offshore news trusted by our 104,640 members delivered daily straight to your inbox.

Join Our Crew

Join the 104,640 members that receive our newsletter.