Vertical Markets

Fallon briefed on boat stopping

by Mark Rowe

On a visit to Cardiff, Defence Secretary, Michael Fallon, was briefed about a British company’s boat stopping system which can stop boats used in human trafficking without harming the boat or its passengers, the makers say. Fallon met with Andrew Howell, the Managing Director of UK-based maritime security and safety product firm, BCB International Ltd, which has developed a new range of ‘boat stopping systems‘, which use compressed air and interchangeable barrels to project floating entanglement lines and other vessel disabling projectiles.

After the meeting Andrew Howell said: “No one wants a repeat of the recent tragic events in the South Mediterranean. These tragedies have shone a light on the inadequacy of methods currently used to stop non-compliant boats, which usually consists of either ramming a boat or shooting at the engines. Both of these options present grave and unacceptable dangers to the lives of desperate passengers crammed into overcrowded boats.”

BCB says that its products were inspired by the police road stingers used to stop speeding and runaway cars. Some of the boat stopping systems have been purchased by maritime law enforcement agencies in the United States and in South East Asia.

Howell added: “Our versatile boat stopping systems will stop large and small vessels. They are non-lethal, safe and can be deployed quickly. They could be used by merchant ships or Local navies close to the North African Coast to stop human trafficking at source; thereby preventing the unnecessary loss of life linked with the growing number of attempted perilous sea journeys in the Mediterranean ”.

Pictured left to right: Michael Fallon, Cardiff Councillor and Cardiff North Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Craig Williams, and Andrew Howell. Visit – www.bcbin.com.

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