Private security in modern maritime danger zones

Could expanding dead zones at sea lead to a resurgence of armed protection for merchant shipping?

That resurgence is already visible in counter-piracy work, including armed teams and sea armories that support commercial vessels.

The proposed resurgence of armed merchant protection is already visible in counter-piracy work. Private maritime security companies move armed personnel among commercial ships operating through dangerous waters. Floating armouries allow weapons and equipment to be stored and transferred at sea rather than carried through every port. The personnel involved come from several countries, including substantial Chinese and Russian contingents. Expanding maritime danger zones would therefore enlarge an existing security market rather than recreate a practice that had entirely disappeared.