If this was a feasible idea, they would have done it already, to discourage piracy of manned ships -- just have the cargo areas sealed up and filled with poison

If this was a feasible idea, they would have done it already, to discourage piracy of manned ships -- just have the cargo areas sealed up and filled with poison gas. But it's not feasible for multiple reasons: * A modern cargo ship isn't a rigid, airtight vessel, it's somewhat flexible and certainly not airtight above the waterline. * Also, the cargo on a modern cargo ship isn't inside the ship as in the old "On the Waterfront" days when unskilled laborers loaded and unloaded ships, it's all out on the deck in the form of cargo containers: http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/544/overrides/rio-20-un-climate-conference-shipping-container-homes-ship_54414_600x450.jpg http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/0...