HORSHAM, Pa., Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Mace Personal Defense Inc. of Pennsylvania has joined with Shipboard Defense Systems to develop a system to repel pirates.
The company said the Shipboard Defense System is designed with 300-gallon pressurized tanks that include loop piping installed around a vessel, allowing for 100 feet of defensive zones.
When activated, the system disperses a "rainstorm" of Mace pepper spray that is formulated with 10 percent non-flammable OC pepper.
"The Mace-SDS solution is unique because it allows ships' personnel to repel boarders and avoids the issue of arming vessels with guns, said Dennis Raefield, Mace's president and chief executive officer.
"In addition, the SDS system is mounted on the perimeter of the ship and does not affect sea worthiness or require bulkhead penetrations. At Mace, we see significant potential if SDS becomes widely adopted. It offers a real solution to an escalating problem."
According to the International Maritime Bureau's Piracy Reporting Center, more people were taken hostage at sea in 2010 than in any year on record. A total of 445 ships were attacked in 2010, up 10 percent from the previous year.
