Road Tech is Applicable to Maritime Arena

This post is also available in: עברית (Hebrew)

A new boat stopping technology brings to a quick and safe halt vessels whose maneuvers  arouse suspicions about their intent. The new family of non-lethal boat immobilization systems was developed by BCB International, a U.K. security equipment company.  

The technology was inspired by police road stingers, which stop runaway or speeding vehicles, and is intended for tankers that are vulnerable to piracy, halting suspected narcotics traffickers and protecting ports from terrorism.

The technology relies on compressed air and specialized, floating, arrester-line projectiles. The line is fired across the path of the moving vessel and wraps around the lower unit of outboard motors, entangling the propeller, according to globalspec.com.

The target boat is quickly brought to a stop, without damaging the boat or harming occupants. Vessels weighing as much as three tonnes and traveling up to 45 knots are suitable targets for the system.

The company said more and more law enforcement authorities are using their boat stopping systems to protect maritime assets.

The series includes:

BARRACUDA WITH CASE AND 2 MUNITIONS – A handheld boat stopping (bss) device capable of launching a 36 m arrestor line and two 1 m sea anchors. Ideal for close-in interception.

BUCCANEER LIGHT WEIGHT INTERCEPTOR – An advanced development of the Buccaneer Anti-Piracy System. Manufactured with modern composite materials and techniques, it is designed for riverine ‘green / brown’ operations in the littoral environment. The Buccaneer LWI is especially suited for deployment upon fast patrol craft.

Buccaneer System – Delivers projectiles designed to deter and disable small fast sea craft at extended range. With a range of up to 200 m the Buccaneer KIS boat stopping system -bss- uses specialised payloads to lay buoyant netting / line for interdiction operations.

Sea Stinger – Used as an ‘Area Denial System’ for large marine key point installations such as oil rigs, ports, estuaries or large cargo vessels that are vulnerable to acts of piracy or terrorism.