Local solutions to piracy issue

NORFOLK - More trouble on the high seas. Officials say pirates attacked another U.S. cargo ship Wednesday, but this time, failed to get aboard. It happened off the coast of Somalia, as the Liberty Sun sailed to Mombasa, Kenya.

Since Sunday, when Capt. Richard Phillips was freed, Somali pirates have hijacked four ships and taken at least 75 hostages.

WAVY.com found two local men who are coming up with ideas on how to solve the piracy problem.

"That's just one little attack, they have nothing to lose," says ODU'S Dr. Wayne Talley who wrote "Maritime Safety, Security, and Piracy."

Talley is Executive Director of the Maritime Institute. Talley says ODU is the only University in the Country that offers a port management concentration for MBA students.

Talley proposes a sea marshal, like air marshals, carry weapons to protect ships and crews in dangerous regions like Somalia.

"There would be one person who would be armed," Talley said.

"It hasn't been talked about before, and I'm mentioning it now, to you....this would provide needed security that is lacking."

Former Navy Seal Tom Rothrauff is a trained sniper and praises how the Navy SEALs took out the pirates holding Captain Richard Phillips. The Virginia Beach businessman has developed the Maritime Boarding Alert Device.

"The device has a beam of light, and when penetrated sounds horns and flashes lights. A sleeping crew would then be alerted that pirates are trying to board before they actually do."

Rothrauff has yet to sell any of these devices, but hopes the recent news of pirates on the sea will help move his system. He estimates the device would cost between $360,000 and $400,000.

Dr. Talley says it's a new age. The pirates are emboldened with nothing to lose boarding unarmed ships. Talley says the attacks will continue until the pirates fear the prospect of boarding a ship because they are armed.