Pirates' boats terrorise other vessels in the ocean because of their ability to outmanoeuvre and outrun bigger ships. But all this could soon become a thing of the past.
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research has developed a new system that allows smaller boats to be lowered off navy frigates in seconds, even if the frigate is moving or turning around. The system is the only one of its kind in the world, and it allows the navy to respond quickly to pirate activity.
It can also counter drug-smuggling, and be used in search and seizure missions.
Niel Goslett, the programme manager for the research team of the CSIR davit system, said: "The navy needed a way to retrofit [its] frigates to quickly project people in boats for anti-piracy missions on the east coast of Africa."
According to Goslett, the davit system has already drawn international interest from Brazil, Italy and countries around the Horn of Africa, where piracy is rampant.
Matipa Mwamuka, speaking on behalf of the NGO Activists Networking Against the Exploitation of Children, said the system would help the navy in clamping down on human trafficking.
She said: "The international Organisation for Migration has been looking into this area of trafficking and this [davit system] will help in countering it."
The South African Navy was not available for comment.
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 