"Bancroft Maritime Security Solutions Limited ("BMSS") is a UK based maritime risk management and maritime consultancy company with a genuine understanding of maritime issues and protocols. The Director of the Company, David Bancroft, is a career Mariner who has the unique experience of serving in both the Merchant Navy and Royal Navy at Senior Management level.
His last Naval Command was UKMTO, the UK Anti Piracy Unit based out in the Middle East. David spent considerable time briefing individual ships and very quickly his reputation spread. The unit also took on an additional formal role in conjunction with EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta. At the peak of the crisis in 2008/2009 Bancroft lead his team firmly and despite very considerable pressures on his time, performance and operational commitments he continued to deliver an exemplary service to merchant ships and masters in the region. He played a key facilitating role and acted as contact point in a number of hijack situations, and assisted in their eventual safe resolution.
During this period David also played an essential role in encouraging merchant ships in the region to adopt robust self-protection measures, frequently visiting ships to test measures and improve the security skills of innocent crews and ships officers. He was a convincing advocate for self-protection and architect of advice later formalised by the IMO as the now well-known Best Management Practices (BMPs) and the designer of the Internationally Recognised Transit Corridor (IRTC). He strongly objected to the widespread use of weapons on civilian ships, influencing official UK policy and always regarded the safety of seafarers to be of paramount concern. The British Chamber of Shipping supported by BP nominated David for the award of the Merchant Navy Medal, which he was presented with in 2010.
After leaving the military David continued in the Private sector and on one transit successfully thwarted a concerted Pirate attack against a vessel he was protecting.
With the wealth of actual operational and strategic experience of David and his team, they have written numerous Anti Piracy training packages and David is a regular speaker at maritime conferences on maritime security matters.
The stable of BMSS consultants comprise of highly experienced personnel who have all at some point served under David's command either in the Military or the Private Sector. These hand picked individuals are some of the best and most experienced Maritime Security Operators the industry has to offer.
Our core competencies in the provision of our Piracy Advisory Teams and Bridge Advisors are:-
· Our skills in keeping Anti Piracy watches and ensuring that the officers and crew support us in this whilst at the same time offering sound advice.
· Our experience in differentiating pirate activity from that of fishing boats.
· Our experience in the rapid construction of barrier defences of razor wire, electric fencing and temporary protection of vulnerable areas.
· Our comprehensive knowledge of pirates modus operandi and hence our ability to protect a ship under attack.
As well as the provision of Security and Anti Piracy services BMSS, through strategic joint ventures, can also provide many common industry standard surveys with accredited Master Mariner surveyors. Surveys range from Common Marine Surveys to more specialised DP Audits and FMEA's." |
