Maritime Security

Through its subsidiaries, STRATEGUARD provides fully trained and experienced armed Security Teams or Security Escort Vessels for all types of commercial ships transiting the areas of high risk. In accordance with the requirements of our clients and after thorough risk estimation we are also offering wide range of additional measures and services for the protection of the merchant vessels in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and generally all around Indian Ocean.

Since 2010 the new threats had appeared in the World Ocean besides Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean. Western African waters are becoming extremely dangerous for the merchant vessels. We are ready to provide our clients with the Maritime Security solutions also in Gulf of Guinea and in other areas, such as the area between the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia, where the sea-robbery is becoming the constant problem as well.

Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean area

Today our company is using three Floating Armories (Sea Platforms) for accommodation and deployment of our Security Teams with our own weapons and security equipment. Our Sea Platforms are located on the main waterways at 19N in Red Sea, at 11N in Arabian Sea and in Gulf of Oman, at 19N North Arabian Sea. Floating Armories allow us to assure the transfer of our Security Personnel to and from the vessels of our clients with minimum deviation from vessel's route and with minimum lost time.

We are providing an armed Security Teams of at least three or more servicemen, all of whom are combat experienced ex-military personnel. Team leaders are always English speaking. Each of our teams has the extensive experience in handling problems related to the pirates' attacks.

Our personnel are specifically trained for such operational activity, each Security Team is selected from the servicemen who have the certain combat experience and good knowledge and understanding of Maritime Combat and Security operations. Our servicemen are armed with half-automatic long range accurate rifles, sniper rifles and pistols (optional). Using abovementioned fire-arms we can provide warning shots and barrage fire with high accuracy, preventing pirates approaching or boarding the merchant vessel.

Due to the demand of the clients and in accordance with the local conditions our company's armed Security Teams are embarking and disembarking at port limits and off-port limits.

The Security Teams of our company are strictly following the Rules of Engagement as devised and directed by the international laws.

We always follow the demands of our clients, and we do our best to find the most comfortable location to assure the transfer of our security personnel to the vessel with minimum deviation from vessel's route.

Security Solutions in Nigeria & Central/Southern African Countries

Vessel and Crew Support Services

Providing security for the commercial ships we do recognize the Master's responsibility while passing through the unsafe maritime areas, which are well-known since certain time as the areas of the pirate's activity. In this sense we believe one of our main tasks is also making ship master and crew members feel more confident, safe and secure while transiting the risky areas.

We provide the pre-transit consulting and advising of the Master and vessel crew. The personnel of our Security Teams on-board the vessel is operating in steady contact with the ship Master and with the crew members. Our Team Leader will conduct a security survey of the ship, and all the factors will be thoroughly estimated in order to define the weak points of the vessel security.

Our Team Leader will work out and advise the best security solution for providing the defense measures for the vessel in each particular case. We shall assist the Master to work out the optimal easy-to-apply plan of actions for the crew members if finding the ship under the pirates' attack. Our security personnel on-board will study the ship, and we'll identify the safety rooms or safety areas and make them secure.

We always provide on-board consulting for the Master and the ship crew in order to enable the crew to act in harmony with the security team members, and we perform few training drills with the crew of the vessel. This helps us and the ship crew to define the responsibilities and to work out the procedures on-board.

Due to our contact with the local authorities in different countries of the High Risk Area, we obtain constantly the actual intelligence information on the pirate activity from different organizations, which are monitoring the situation in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean. Our Security Teams are receiving the intelligence real-time information updates on daily bases.

Providing Maritime Security services for the merchant vessels in the High Risk Area we operate in co-operation with the following international institutions and organization:

European Union Naval Force
MSCHOA - Maritime Security Centre - Horn of Africa
ICC Commercial Crime Services IMB Piracy Reporting Centre
NATO Shipping Centre

Due to our contacts we are receiving the information updates on the operative situation in the High Risk Area 24 hours a day. This information is immediately supplied to our Security Teams being on-board of the vessels in High Risk Areas and also to the Masters. Being provided with such operative information allows us to react at newly appeared threats well in advance, and to make correct decisions as for the security procedures.

Gulf of Guinea, Nigerian Waters

Through our subsidiaries, STRATEGUARD LLC provides professional and cost-effective Maritime Security services and advisory for the shipping companies, which are operating in the Gulf of Guinea, and first of all in Nigerian waters.

In Nigeria, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Cameroon, STRATEGUARD LLC can deploy local armed security teams onboard merchant vessels. The security team is sourced from the host country’s NAVY and can arrange their embarkation within 24 to 36 hours’ notification from the vessel owner or management company. This service is only available (for embarkation and disembarkation of the team) within the territorial waters of the host nation and is therefore of most benefit to vessels that are required to operate in the same sovereign waters or a particular high risk port for an extended period.

Nigeria and Nigerian Waters

STRATEGUARD approved and fully licensed partner-company in Nigeria has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Nigerian Navy and holds all necessary approvals, permits and licenses from the Nigerian Maritime Safety Agency (NIMASA). All licenses and certifications of our local Nigerian partner-company to carry out these services can be presented to you for the Due Diligence upon request.

We are operating legally in all Nigerian ports, Nigerian territorial waters, within EEZ and in Gulf of Guinea High-Risk Area in general.

We have our own fleet of Ballistic and Non-Ballistic vessels, which are available for security escorts at very short notice. Consequently, we offer our clients high quality services at very attractive prices, which are significantly lower than the prices of our competitors. We are capable to mobilize and deploy either Security Escort Vessels or On-Board Security Team at short notice of max 96 hours, which is another big advantage of our company.

Since 2015 we had successfully conducted over 1,750 transits in Nigerian waters without any threats or losses for our clients and we remain dedicated to this record. We are providing security services for first-class shipping companies, please, feel free to contact us for references.

On-Board Security Teams

We are offering our clients On-Board Security Teams to be embarked to our clients’ vessels as one of effective maritime security solutions.

On-Board Security Teams can be engaged providing security for the vessels transiting Nigerian territorial waters only, for instance on transits from port to port, during port calls or during waiting at anchorage positions. Deployment of On-Board Security Teams besides the borders of Nigerian territorial waters is restricted by local legislation.

Standard On-Board Security Team consists from 7 armed guards (Nigerian NAVY personnel) and 1 Maritime Security Liaison Officer (MSLO).
Mobilization and deployment time starting from the moment of placing the order with us is 96 hours.
Area of operations includes all Nigerian ports and territorial Nigerian waters.
We can service you also in all Nigerian ports between Lagos and Calabar.

We can also deploy Nigerian Maritime Police (MARPOL) personnel for operations within territorial and inland waters (measured from the inward limits of the coastal waterways to the fairway buoy), ports and harbors. Upon the requests we can also provide an embarked own Bridge Advisor to oversee the security of the vessel and liaise with the local security forces, either embarked or in escort.

Security Escort Vessels services

We are operating own fleet of Ballistic and Non-Ballistic Security Escort Vessels, supporting our clients’ security requirements off the coast of Nigeria and in Nigerian waters.

Security Escort Vessel services can be provided at the range of up to 250 NM from Nigeria with further escort of clients’ vessels from secure zones in international waters to loading terminals in Nigeria or to Nigerian ports and then back to secure zone in international waters.

Main features and details of our Security Escort Vessel services are as follows:

Mobilization and deployment time starting from the moment of placing the order with us is max 24 hours.
Each Security Escort Vessel carries at least 7 armed guards, consisting of Nigerian NAVY personnel.
Each Security Escort Vessel has on-board one Maritime Security Liaison Officer for coordination and communication.
Each Security Escort Vessel is equipped with all necessary communication devices, which allows non-stop 24/7 communication and accurate coordination with client’s vessel and vessel owners / operators.
Our Security Escort Vessels are capable of escorting client’s vessels at the speed of between 10 to 20 knots and more as per client’s requirements.
Our Security Escort Vessels services can be provided at a range of 250 NM from Nigerian coast and within the Nigerian EEZ.

We can provide you with Security Escort Vessel services to all Nigerian ports between Lagos and Calabar and to/at the following terminals:

Agbami Terminal
Tulja Terminal
Bonga Terminal
Egina Terminal
Qua Iboe Terminal
Forcados Terminal
Escravos Terminal
Brass Terminal
Odudu Terminal
Usan Terminal
and More!

Please, feel free to contact us for additional information at all times.

Prices and Rates

We believe, our prices are best at the market, at least, the feedbacks of clients are stating, that we offer significantly better prices, terms and conditions, than our competitors.

The daily rate, which we offer in each particular case, includes all our cost - NAVY Guards, one unarmed MSLO, escort vessel daily rate, NPA clearance, bunker, fresh water, meals and accommodation of guards, MSLO and crew and VAT. There are no hidden charges or unexpected additional cost.

We try to be as much as possible flexible and co-operative with our clients in all matters in regard of Terms and Conditions of payment. Please, talk to us and we shall always find the solution, which would be most comfortable for all parties.

Local Legislation

STRATEGUARD and its subsidiaries operate within the following legislative environment:

UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Article 105);
UN Security Council Resolution No. 1816;
UN Security Council Resolution No. 1838;
UN Charter (Article 51);
Code of Conduct for International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement;

While operating in the waters of Gulf of Guinea same as everywhere else, STRATEGUARD acts in close co-operation and steady contact with the local state authorities and law-enforcement agencies of West African countries, and operates in accordance with requirements of local and international legislations.

We are also acting in daily contact and co-operation with the following international organizations:

European Union Naval Force
MSCHOA - Maritime Security Centre - Horn of Africa
ICC Commercial Crime Services IMB Piracy Reporting Centre
NATO Shipping Centre

We are looking forward for your inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact us for more additional information.

Other Maritime Security Services

Shore Based Training, Crew Training
Crew Competence in security issues
Vessel Security Survey
Additional Ship Security Countermeasures, Non-lethal ship security solutions
Legal issues and Insurance

Contact us with requests of any complexity, and we will do everything possible to satisfy your needs regardless of whether you decide to sail from the Mediterranean to the UAE on your own yacht, or you manage a fleet of tankers or bulk carriers on an ongoing basis that call at Nigerian ports every month.

We consider each new client as a separate new case, we will delve into the details of your request and your requirements and offer you exactly the Maritime Security model that you will need depending on depending on the operational area of the world's oceans and taking into consideration your personal preferences and wishes.