IN THE latest move against piracy BAE Systems, a British firm, has developed a laser that can be deployed on commercial shipping and will act as a deterrent to pirates trying to board a vessel. Tests suggest it is effective at a distance of 1.5km.

The aim of the laser is to dazzle pirates so that they are unable to aim their weapons, and to warn them that they have been seen, without permanently damaging their eyes. Standard sunglasses will not help because the laser produces green light, which is not filtered out by them. Indeed, such glasses would make the effect worse, as the laser would be contrasted against a darker background. According to Roy Evans, the project's leader, the effect is similar to a fighter pilot attacking from the direction of the sun. The glare from the laser is intense enough to make it impossible to aim the weapons typically used by pirates, such as AK47 rifles and rocket-propelled grenades.

Each laser has an integral radar to help it lock automatically on to the small, fast vessels usually used by Somali pirates. It can also be linked to the ship's radar, for greater accuracy, though the fact that the laser does not cause permanent damage means that occasional mis-targeting will not matter too much.

Piracy has been on the rise in recent years. There were 430 attacks in 2010, according to the International Maritime Bureau, and a further 15 have already happened this year.  The majority are by Somalis, who currently hold 30 vessels and 680 hostages. Whether the new laser, which will be commercially available by the end of the year, will help, remains to be seen. But it might.