A private security firm employing former members of elite military units has begun providing armed escorts to ships plying some of Asia's most pirate-infested waters, a media report said today.

Singapore-based Background Asia Risk Solutions has its own armour-plated vessel that accompanies boats anywhere between Sri Lanka and the South China Sea for about 50,000 US dollars a mission, the island's Straits Times said.

The company employs 60 former members of crack military units from Singapore and elsewhere, who carry out their escort missions armed with M-16 and M-4 assault rifles, according to the Straits Times .

The paper, quoting managing director Alex Duperouzel, said the firm was set up nine months ago and had already had 12 jobs this year guarding oil rigs and tankers against pirate attacks.

Duperouzel, a former fraud investigator from Australia, said the firm's boat had yet to engage in any combat with pirates, although it had warned off several suspicious vessels by using loud hailers, flares and spotlights.

"When boats see we have well-disciplined, well-equipped teams, they usually move on and leave us alone," he said.

Will shoot if necessary

However Duperouzel said his employees would not hesitate to use their artillery if necessary.

"Just like a cop who has to defend his own life, our men will not shoot to kill. It's a series of escalating events," he said.

"If we can take out an engine, we'll do so. We'll also go for the knees. But if we're forced to engage, we'll engage to win."

The narrow 960-kilometre-long Malacca Straits, bordered by Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes but is also full of pirates who brazenly carry out attacks.

The Malacca Straits is used by about 50,000 ships a year carrying a third of world trade and half its oil supplies, and the attacks have led to concerns the waterway and adjoining Singapore Straits are also vulnerable to terrorists.

Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia last year began coordinated patrols in the Malacca Straits.

Armed police officers

But with a recent increase in attacks, Malaysia has announced it will place armed police officers on board tugboats and barges plying the waterway.

There have been at least five pirate attacks on ships in the straits over the past six weeks.

In the latest incident on Tuesday, pirates aboard seven small fishing boats attempted to board a 150,000-tonne, Japanese-owned crude oil tanker but were foiled when the captain of the vessel took evasive measures and increased speed.

Duperouzel and the co-founder of Background Asia Risk Solutions, Bryan Toki, were overseas drumming up business on Friday and unable to immediately comment when AFP contacted their office.