Frequently asked questions

Do you have installation instructions? Can you install without hotwork required? Hot work is a safety issue on for example tankers.Can the system be installed by drilling/bolting?

An engineering representative will perform an assessment in which they will review vessel specific general arrangement drawings. The assessment can determine which of the options is feasible and simple. From this assessment one can choose to drill and bolt or make use of rigging lines. Westmark has previous experience with installing a P-Trap on a vessel without hotwork permit. Westmark will provide a detailed installation manual.

How many spare lines do you recommend to have onboard?

The number of spare lines should be based on the number of transits planned in the near future. Westmark suggests no extra spare lines are needed for a single transit through pirate infected region. During a transit lines should not be lost or have to be replaced. Test certificates of breaking strength of the lines and lines with breakaway connections are embedded in the operations procedure. Westmark tested the P-Trap system with 17 lines on starboard side of a coastguard vessel on the North Sea early 2010. A navy commando team in a RIB attacked the vessel, sailed into the lines and after 4 attacks 9 P-Trap lines were used. The current P-Trap products has 20 P-Trap lines per side of the vessel, so even in a situation of having multiple vessels attacking your vessel multiple times, the vessel should be protected and your crew shouldnít have to leave the accommodation to rig new P-Trap lines while in high risk areas.Westmark guarantees proper unreeling of the factory provided lines.

Can the P-Trap protect against a multiple skiffs attack?

P-Trap is a passive anti/boarding system, which means that the crew is only needed to deploy the system before entering a high risk area. Previous tests have indicated that one P-Trap protected side has stopped 4 attacking skiffs (commando RIBís). This indicates that you will stay protected in a case of multiple skiff attacks without having your crew involved.

Armed guards in combination with P-Trap?

Armed guards can keep pirates away from the vessel and actively defend the vessel. P-Trap is a passive defense method, compared it to a fence around a property.

Is the system deployed before high risk area?

The P-Trap system is generally deployed for the entire transit through the high risk areas. It is to be deployed before entering an high risk area and retrieved prior to receiving the pilot onboard. This means that the P-Trap is applying operational protection during the entire transit through the high risk area.

Does the P-Trap entitle me for a discount with the P&I insurance companies?

P-Trap operating companies receive significant reductions in insurance rates, some have implemented and has implemented the system fleetwide. References could be made available on request. Discounts from the insurance industry are mostly based on the individual negotiation process. The P-Trap system has been rated by German Ship owners in a study performed by PIRAT (Joint Research Project by German Federal Ministry of Education and Research) late 2011, in the following manner: ìMost measures were rated poorly. Except the citadel and engine blocking systems were rated to be the best measures by the German ship owners, a conclusion which is shared by the German Bundes Polizei.

Is the P-Trap system tested?

The P-Trap system is thoroughly tested in the pre-concept phase, concept phase as well as the product phase. The most recent tests are focused on the behavior and protection level of the P-Trap lines through composition and lay-out.

Has the P-Trap been on a vessel during a real life attack?

In January 2012 a stone dumping vessel was attacked off the coast of India, the pirates were kept at a distance by Dutch commandos. The NATO removed the pirate treat for other vessels by capturing the attempted pirates shortly after. The captain of the vessel indicated that he would sail through the region with armed security assistance, only if the P-Trap is installed in addition.

What happens to the pirates after they are caught by the P-Trap lines?

The weak link in the P-Trap lines will ensure that the system behaves in a non-lethal manner. When the pirates sail into the line spread their engine gets blocked and the pirates will be left behind. A captain could decide to stay in the area at a safe distance until Navy vessels arrive, or chose to sail into a safer area, when uncertain about multiple pirate vessels in the vicinity, or additional pirate vessel activity.

How many lines do you have left over after pirates attack?

Westmark tested the P-Trap system with 17 lines on starboard side of a Maersk contracted coastguard vessel on the North Sea early 2010. A navy commando team in a RIB attacked the vessel, sailed into the lines and after 4 attacks 9 P-Trap lines were used. The current P-Trap products have 20 P-Trap lines per side of the vessel, so even in a situation of having multiple vessels attacking your vesselmultiple times, the vessel should be protected and your crew shouldnít have to leave the accommodation to rig new P-Trap lines in the high risk areas.

What effects does the P-Trap system have on vessel fuel consumption?

The P-Trap effects on fuel consumption have been classed by several ship-owners as neglectible.