KUALA LUMPUR: The story from NST is another indictment of our failure to properly prepare our armed forces for any eventualities. Yes, no one can predict the future but if a proper defence strategy had been formulated we would have not resorted to this desperate measure. With the Ambalat dispute heating up again, the RMN however might be counting its blessings.
Hopefully, the modifications to the ship had include a satellite communications link so that any success can be transmitted almost immediately and not kept in the ship’s log book only…..
MV Bunga Lima
Specifications
Owner M.I.S.C., Malaysia
Shipyard MSE, Malaysia
Main dimensions
Length overall 32,80 m
Breadth mld 7,5 m
Draught design 22,7 m
Depth 10.8M
DWT 9000
Service speed 17kn
PASIR GUDANG: A container ship has joined the navy as an auxiliary vessel on its anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden.
MISC Bhd, in collaboration with the Royal Malaysian Navy and the National Security Council converted the MV Bunga Mas Lima to escort and protect its ships sailing through the pirate-infested gulf off the coast of Somalia.
This follows last year’s hijacking of two MISC ships there.
In a statement yesterday, MISC said the conversion was carried out by its heavy engineering arm Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Sdn Bhd here.
The Bunga Mas Lima is the first Malaysian merchant ship to be converted into an auxiliary vessel for the navy.
A ceremony to commemorate the successful conversion of the ship was held here yesterday, attended by Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Latif Ahmad, navy chief Admiral Datuk Seri Abdul Aziz Jaafar and MISC president and chief executive officer Amir Hamzah Azizan.
Since last year’s hijackings, RMN had launched Op Fajar, a rescue, escort and protection mission, with the aim of ensuring the safe passage of all MISC vessels in the Gulf of Aden.
–Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (7)
What will be the self defense suite? 0.5 calibre gun only?
Converting civilian vessel to hunts pirates are nothing new. Nato members who participate the Aden pirate hunting operation are doing the same.
its a good bait and many times the navy able to apprehend the pirate as opposed of using a frigate or gun ship.
H
Marhalim: I also hope that they used the ship as a bait and our boys carry as many anti-tank weapons on board, so they have a lot of target practice.....
No. GPMGs. But they'll have .50 cal ROBAR anti-materiel rifles.
Marhalim: There is a picture in the latest Perajurit magazine of a Special Forces team on board the ship. Since most of our Spec Ops teams are also issued with GPMGs I am assuming that they will be carrying several on them since we seemed not too keen on the .50 caliber Browning....
They will, after getting home may be...
or after something 'hit' their mind..
i mean if they want to fit the guns lah..
Browning .50 caliber could do the job as a defensive suite, since BungaMas is just for pirate hunting and escort.
But if the "navy top brass" is a little bit ambitious, hmmm ... the sky is the limit... but then since "pulus tak cukup" pakai sajalah...
Marhalim: The navy top brass is ambitious alright but sometimes lack of money is a blessing in disguise....
satellite communications is a mandatory requirements for foreign going vessels nowadays and bunga mas 5 is among those vessels.having none is a major non conformance in maritime industry and could lead to ship being detained by port state control and banned from engaging in trade.
conversion of merchant vessels to naval auxiliary vessels can be clearly seen and understood in the falklands conflict.