>While the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) is a proponent of weapons on commercial ships as a means to thwart piracy, it respects and stays in compliance with international and port-state mandates that reject lethal force in the hands of mariners, and pushes the use of non-lethal methods to stop potential attacks.>
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NITC currently has a fleet of 43 ships (including 28 VLCCs) totalling 10.6mdwt, but aims to grow its fleet to 74 ships and 18mdwt by 2013.
>>According to A.R. Darashti, Technical Manater for the Tehran-based company, working out of NITC’s Dubai, UAE office, the company employs a number of technical solutions to keep its current fleet of 43 tankers and mariners out of harm’s way, including:>
>>-> >Wire Fencing>>
>>-> >Night Vision Cameras>>
>>-> >A Swedish-make water machine designed to keep the sides of the vessel wet and slippery>>
>>-> >Maintaining higher speeds through known piracy zones.>>
>To date, 16 NITC ships have been the target of piracy aggression, resulting only in minor damages to ships.>