SHI Shipyard’s New Anti-Piracy Device

Samsung Heavy Industries Co., South Korea’s third-largest shipbuilder, said Sunday it has developed an anti-piracy solution system that can track down and repel nearby pirate ships.

The development of an anti-piracy system comes amid rising alarm that overseas pirates are targeting South Korean ships. On Friday, South Korean naval special forces successfully rescued 21 seamen and their 11,500-ton cargo ship, the Samho Jewelry, that was hijacked by Somali pirates.

Two months earlier, a South Korean supertanker was also released after being held captive by Somali pirates for seven months, in exchange for a reported ransom of around $9 million.

According to Samsung Heavy, the new system tracks down suspected pirate ships within 10 kilometers by analyzing their speed and direction. The anti-piracy solution also features a surveillance system that records real-time videos of suspected ships and water cannons with a maximum range of 70 meters, the shipbuilder said.

The water cannons, which can be remote-controlled at indoor steering houses, are forecast to increase safety as seamen formerly had to control them on the deck, the company said.

Samsung Heavy plans to equip its ships with the anti-piracy solution in the future, it said.

“The system will substantially contribute to protecting seamen and their ships. It will also help boost orders,” said a company official.

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