The period in America from 1689 to 1718 is considered the golden age of piracy. Sea Pirates have felt their presence globally ever since the beginning of seafaring. Despite their long association with the world of seas, the story of most pirates is an enigma.

Here is a sneak peek into the lives of some of the most successful pirates in the world. (Kindly note that they are not arranged according to merits or achievements but because they were worth mentioning in the top ten list)

1. Henry Morgan

Despite being one of the best-known pirates, Captain Morgan’s status as a pirate is still unknown. Different accounts refer to him as a pirate, privateer or buccaneer. Nonetheless, he is known for his reign in the Caribbean region.

He is most famous for his attacks on Spanish vessels and plundering towns, including the likes of Puerto Principe, a Spanish town that had to be rebuilt entirely after Morgan and his men were done with it. England discreetly supported him in his attacks against the Spanish Kingdom.

He had a powerful Jamaican fleet, and folk stories claim that he may have overtaken more than 400 ships during his entire life as a pirate. He is known for his raid on Panama city, with 30 ships and 1200 men to capture enormous wealth.

He was later arrested and taken to England. However, he was pardoned and sent to Jamaica. He became the Governor of Jamaica and later went to a small plantation where he lived till the end of his life.

2. Thomas Tew

A notorious pirate, Thomas Tew, looted a large Indian ship, plundering a treasure worth £100,000, followed by another attack on a Mughal Convoy.

The latest attack cost him his life, but not before he earned quite some treasure, teamed up with other pirates like others and enjoyed a heroic piracy career.

3. Henry Every

A fancy pirate who captained a ship called ‘Fancy’, he is famous for having made the most of his piracy career quickly.

Also called Long ben, he is known to have looted two major ships in quick succession, assembling a huge treasure to his credit. This indicates excellent strategic skills.

But he is most famously known for never having been caught alive. He retired after the huge plunder and escaped into a world of oblivion, never to be seen again except in the folklore and legends.

4. William Kidd

A cold-blooded hardcore pirate, captain of one of the most famous pirate ships, Captain Kidd, was a privateer assigned to free New York and the West Indies of pirates. But a change in circumstances meant he faced a mutiny from his crew. A loss of another choice, he made the first brutal act of his piracy career with a murder and then never looked back. His most daring act was to loot a treasure ship, almost twice the size of his ship, along with the Malabar Coast of India.

He was hunted, the first live documented hunt in the Atlantic world. Although he asked for forgiveness, he had lost all luck. He sailed to Boston, was arrested by the New England governor, Sir Richard Bellomony and sent to England in 1700.

He was hanged on 23rd May 1701. He faced a painful death as he was hanged twice. The first rope broke midway, and he had to be hanged a second time.

5. Edward Teach ‘lackbeard”One of the most famous pirates of the world

Edward Teach ”lackbeard” was rightly famous because of his notorious pirate ways. He intimidated others by wrapping smoking fuses into his braided facial hair and dangling numerous pistols and daggers on his chest. He was a living image of the devil and a skilled fighter. Famous for his loot, he took whatever he could. His piracy career makes a glorious account of his life.

He took over a French slave ship in 1717 and renamed it the Queen Anne’s Revenge. It was fitted with 40 guns, and with that, he blocked the port of Charleston, South Carolina, until he got a chest of medicine. After reaching North Carolina, he was killed in a skirmish with the British Royal Navy. As per legend, he received 20 stab wounds and five gunshots before he died.

6. Calico Jack

The list of names of pirates all over the world would be incomplete without mentioning Calico Jack Rackham. He became captain of the ship he was sailing with as a quartermaster when he stood up against a seemingly wrong attack decision by the ship’s captain.

This was the first glimpse of his leadership and piracy career. He later went on to make his ship one of the most famous pirate ships in the world. He was popular for his famous Jolly Roger Flag with a skull and two crossed swords and for having two female pirates on his crew, Mary Read and Anne Bonny.

He was granted a pardon for his earlier piracy attacks in 1719. However, he went to the sea and captured a 12-gun sloop from Port Nassau, Bahamas. He had a dozen followers and only two of the women pirates to ever operate in the Caribbean. One was Anne Bonny, who left her husband to be with Captain Jack, and the other was Mary Read, who disguised herself as a man, trained and lived like a pirate. In 1720, they met their end due to an encounter with a pirate hunter vessel.

7. Francis Drake

Sir Francis Drake was more active in the Caribbean during the 16^th century as an English wartime sailor than a full-time pirate.

He was a gifted sailor with excellent sailing skills but was not so lucky in fate. Bad luck turned him on the road of revenge, which ultimately set off his piracy career. But his intelligent strategies earned him a place as one of the best-known pirates in the world.

 8. Anny Bonney and Mary Read

Presenting an extraordinary pirate story of female strength in a men’s world, these two female pirates were anomalies in the world of pirates. But they were headstrong, rational, and knew what they did not want from life.

Fate brought them both into piracy, and each other’s friendship, but their skills as efficient seafarers earned them the title of famous pirates of the world.

They both found their way into the pirate crew of Calico Jack but left when the ship and its captain were finally captured. Legend believes that Anny and Captain Jack were in a romantic relationship. Even the friendship between Anny and Mary is thought to lurk on the verge of something more.

Anne Bonny had a difficult life. She was the offspring of her father and a servant, and once the truth was revealed, she was sent to the New World to work on a plantation, where she met a sailor named James Bonny and married him. She started mixing with pirates and left her husband for Captain Jack when she ran off from home.

9. Howell Davis

Having enjoyed a short career of piracy, this young pirate captured the entire Caribbean region with his navigational skills and daring nature to take on ships larger than his own.

A rather bumpy ride throughout his career that lasted all of a year, he made some bold decisions, saw some rough phases and ultimately got his name written on some of the most influential pirates of the world.

10. Bartholomew Roberts

A notorious yet intelligent pirate, Batholomew Roberts, famously known as Black Bart, looted over 400 ships across the Caribbean, Africa and Asia. Chanced into piracy, he was a natural.

He was young when the burden of a pirate’s ship’s leadership was put on his shoulders due to the death of Howell Davie, the pirate he was working with. He was bold, daring and cold-blooded.

He looted more than 20 ships, excluding a slaver he set on fire with enslaved people still on it. He captured the entire region of the Caribbean and West Indies.

He finally met his end in 1722 when he was killed. His daring career makes him as famous as he is in the history of pirates.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What was Henry Morgan most famous for?

Henry Morgan was a successful privateer-pirate. He raided several Spanish ships and various Spanish colonies in the Caribbean. He also attacked the Panama port once.

2. What happened to Henry Avery?

Nobody knows what happened to him or how he died. Some believe he took his loot to Madagascar, became king and commanded thousands of men. While there is also an opposite rumour that he returned to England broke and died after losing his treasure.

3. Was Calico Jack a successful pirate?

He was one of the unique pirates during the golden age of piracy. Though he was not very charismatic and failed to get enormous wealth, he is known for his flag design and for two female pirates in his crew with whom he shared romantic relationships.

4. Why did Bartholomew Roberts become a pirate?

Famously known as the Black Bart, he worked as Third Mate on a British Slaver ship called Princess. However, it was attacked and captured by pirates headed by Howel Davis near the Guinea coast. The pirates convinced him to join them, and soon, he realised it was a great opportunity for him and became a pirate.

5. What did pirates eat?

According to historians, pirates usually ate beans, found on almost all pirate ships, as it was a source of dietary fibre and protein. They also had dried meat, especially turkey. Vegetables and fruits would go bad, so they were not a regular part of the diet.

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Disclaimer: The author’s views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Marine Insight. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendations on any course of action to be followed by the reader.

The article or images cannot be reproduced, copied, shared or used in any form without the permission of the author and Marine Insight. 

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Somalis over the years have lived under the most trying circumstances imaginable, facing acute poverty, lawlessness and anarchy. Of course, a lucky few had defected from their homeland and escaped the rigours of the civil war.

However, no one has paid any heed or notice to what has transpired over the years in Somalia except for a few journalists and international aid workers. Hence, what exactly is the root cause of radicalism in Somalia? There has always been a correlation between poverty, the vicious cycle of violence and anarchy. The exact reasons make Somalia water one of the most badly affected maritime piracy areas. 

Finding the Root Cause

The inhabitants of Somalia are mostly Sunni Muslims. Those who did not defect to other lands had to endure destitution, prolonged drought, desertification and soil erosion. Many Somalis are nomads who eke out their meagre livelihood from their flocks. Still, natural disasters have wiped out massive portions of their livestock, leaving them stranded with no alternative income to support their families. A tiny percentage of the population who are farmers had to witness the decrease in their yield of crops due to soil erosion, lack of fertilizers and instability.

The income gap between the minority elite and the poor has widened tremendously. Somalia witnesses political instability, though it has the freest liberated open market economy in the world, with no central bank to control the money supply, set interest rates or control inflation. Economic policies are balanced by demand and supply. Those with ideas and resources galore are thriving entrepreneurs minting tax-free profits, while the majority can hardly make ends meet. The remittance from the Somali Diaspore Community and aid from international humanitarian organizations keep the economy going.

Coast of Somalia and the Business of Piracy

Somalia has the longest coast in Africa, but Somalis have never exploited the potential of their seas for various reasons. Illegal foreign fishing trawlers outmuscled those who had ventured out to sea. They depleted the fisheries in these territorial waters and polluted them by dumping nuclear and toxic wastes. Adversity prompted the Somalis to test new ways of making money to support their livelihoods. Hence, former fishermen joined hands with the militia and unemployed youth to hijack vessels and demand ransom. This was the start of piracy in Somalia.

They terrorized the waters by sailing in skiffs and dinghies, hijacking cargo ships, kidnapping crew members and keeping them hostage for ransoms. The armed men hijacked everything that came their way, including bulk carriers, cargo vessels, etc.

The pirates of Somalia transformed this into a sophisticated business venture that makes use of modern technology and global positioning devices to track their next prey. Since the 1990s, many ships passing through the area began to arm themselves and hired private security. Also, several shipping companies even signed contracts with criminal gangs and pirates, cementing the roots of Somali piracy in the Indian ocean.

Measures to Tackle Somali Pirates

Since the Somali fishermen forcefully entered commercial ships, East African seas have become quite dangerous. In 2008, these fishermen captured over 50 massive vessels in the Gulf of Aden, an essential waterway between Europe and Asia crucial for the global economy. According to the International Maritime Bureau in London, around ten piracy-related incidents were reported in the Gulf of Aden and 28 in the Gulf of Guinea in 2013.

Pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa have declined since Operation Atalanta in 2008. Also, better security protocols and international warships from countries like India and Russia helped to tackle this problem. International Naval Forces of NATO, the European Union Naval Force and US Task Forces were sent many times when the issues became severe. However, the problem has shifted to the Gulf of Guinea since the number of foreign vessels has also increased.

There were considerable efforts to defeat the al-Shabaab terrorists in Somalia through U.S. airstrikes and an African Union military force. It helped to bring order to the war-torn country, according to experts. The African Union Mission in Somalia allowed the troops from Kenya to capture Kismayo port in 2012 and capture some al-Shabaab terrorists. It was a vital victory which reduced the piracy incidents, pirate activities, number of attacks and armed robbery on the high seas.

The piracy in Somalia is a significant threat to the busiest shipping lines worldwide. Still, even though superpowers have joined hands to end this piracy, it is a daunting task since the territorial waters are too massive to police. It is an indicator of the limitation of conventional war machines against the threats of this century.

Irresponsible Government, Unattended People, and Eradicating Piracy

Somalia has not had an effective central government for almost two decades now. The weak government is battling insurgency to secure the capital and is preoccupied with internal wars and foreign lands waging a proxy war. The pirates in Somalia handle the most influential institutions in the country. They reinvest the ransom money procured from hijacking and piracy to plan out their next move. They effectively outmuscle the regional government and offer a glimmer of hope to the unemployed youth of Somalia by paying them handsomely for aiding them in piracy. Piracy in Somalia is expected to grow drastically in the years to come.

The international community has a huge moral responsibility to find a lasting solution to piracy in Somalia. Steps should be taken to restore the authority and credibility of the central government and think of ways to create alternative employment for youngsters through non-government organizations, UN agencies, and regional and local administration.

The pirates of Somalia can be retrained, registered and given employment as coast guards to protect Somalia’s territorial waters from illegal foreign fishing trawlers. Others can be provided with fishing equipment and given preferential market access where they can sell their catch. This will help in boosting the income and prosperity of the local economy.

The root of the problem is Somalia’s dependence on foreign navies and international support for stability and financial aid. Restoring a stable and mindful government is the need of the hour.

If the root cause of this piracy is not tackled very soon, Somalia will become a country of pirates and a radical state. Radicalism cannot be rooted out by military force, but the hearts and minds of the youngsters should be won by educating them, providing them with a source of income and making them a part of the mainstream society.

Piracy off the Somali Coast No longer a threat to Shipping

In August 2022, an industry group of six international shipping organizations, including The International Chamber of Shipping, announced that piracy in the waters off the coast of Somalia is no longer a threat to global shipping. The announcement comes as happy news to all stakeholders, operators and organisations that fought for its eradication for over 15 years.

They also mentioned that from the start of 2023, the Indian Ocean would not be considered a high-risk zone since no commercial vessels have been attacked off Somalian waters by pirates since 2018.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are Somalian waters safe for navigation now?

Piracy was a major issue in Somalia. However, recently the industry group declared that Somalia is not a high-risk zone anymore as pirates have attacked not a single vessel since 2018.

2. What led to the rise of Piracy in Somalia?

Since the 1990s, piracy has risen in Somalia due to weak government, political instability, lack of education and public healthcare measures which forced common people, including unemployed youth and fishermen, to become a part of criminal gangs and pirates to earn some money supporting their livelihoods.

3. Do Somali pirates still have hostages?

International efforts bore fruit, and Somali pirates have freed the last three of the 3639 hostages held captive over the last five years.

4. Can cruise ships defend themselves against pirates?

Cruises have procedures to protect themselves from pirate attacks. However, there have been only six reports of piracy attacks on cruise ships in the last ten years. There has never been a successful pirate attack on a cruise ship.

5. Why can’t ships defend themselves from pirates efficiently?

As the name suggests, commercial vessels and cargo carriers carry goods for consumption. They do not have weapons to protect themselves from pirate ships laden with modern weaponry. Anti-piracy tactics focus on preventing the pirates from boarding the ship in the first place.

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Disclaimer: The author’s views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Marine Insight. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendations on any course of action to be followed by the reader.

The article or images cannot be reproduced, copied, shared, or used in any form without the permission of the author and Marine Insight.

What Are The Causes of Maritime Piracy in Somalia Waters? appeared first on Marine Insight - The Maritime Industry Guide

Modern-day maritime piracy is a worldwide phenomenon that poses a serious threat to international shipping. An economic approach to the control of maritime piracy is based on the general economic theory of law enforcement that views offenders (pirates) as rational decision makers who would respond to threatened punishments. However, implementation of optimal enforcement policies is impeded by lack of cooperation in the apprehension and prosecution of pirates as a result of free rider problems. In this sense, controlling maritime piracy is subject to similar problems as the prosecution of the global war on terror and the anti-drug war.

Scope of the Problem

Over 2,600 pirate attacks, actual or attempted, were reported over the period 2004-2011, though there has been some recent decline due to the effort of naval task forces as well as a very large increase in the use of onboard armed guards. Somali pirates principally operate a capture-to-ransom model, with ransoms of up to $5.5 million per incident being collected. Elsewhere in the world robbery is the main motive for pirate attacks. The overall economic cost of maritime piracy in 2012 was estimated at $6 billion, down from $7 billion the year before and as much as $16 billion a few years earlier. Spending on onboard security equipment and armed guards increased from about $1 billion to $2 billion between 2011 and 2012. Other economic costs include additional travel days as a consequence of re-routing of ships; increased insurance costs of as much as $20,000 per trip; increased charter rates, as long time at sea reduces the availability of tankers; the cost of faster steaming through pirate-affected seas; and greater inventory financing costs for cargoes that remain longer at sea.

Efficient Pirate Organizations

Not surprisingly, the efficiency of the pirate organization contributes to its success, both historically and in modern times. Accordingly, present-day Somali pirates have developed supportive “social” organizations that aid them on land and at sea. For example, pirate leaders often require new recruits to swear allegiance to the organization and its leaders until death. In addition, many Somali pirates are ex-coast guardsmen or ex-militiamen and share a common background and training. As for motivation, there is a common belief among many pirates and their sympathizers that ransoms are like a tax on foreigners who are overfishing Somali waters. Somali pirates have also developed an effective business model that is based on the profit motive and profit sharing. There is even a stock exchange where pirates can raise money to purchase tools of the trade, and which also allows non-pirates to share in the proceeds from their business (Bahadur, 2011; Bueger 2013; World Bank 2013).

Law and Economics

An economic approach to the control of maritime piracy is a direct application of the economic analysis of law enforcement, which is a large field of research within the area of “law and economics.” The approach relies on two fundamental claims: first, that pirates (or any criminals) behave rationally in the sense that they respond to the threat of sanctions when making their decisions about whether or not to commit an illegal act; and second, that the enforcement authority stands ready to enforce the threatened sanctions by expending resources to apprehend and punish those offenders who violate the law. If either of these assumptions is violated, then threatened punishments will not be an effective deterrent (Becker, 1968; Polinsky and Shavell, 2000).

With regard to the assumption of rationality on the part of criminals, although some crime is no doubt committed by individuals who are irrational or otherwise mentally impaired (permanently or temporarily), there is considerable evidence that domestic offenders do respond to threats of punishment. For example, as the severity or likelihood of punishment is increased, measured crimes rates tend to go down. And since the primary motive of maritime piracy is material gain, whether derived from stolen cargo or ransom, it seems reasonable to believe that pirates are likewise responsive to such threats, provided that they are credible.

International Law Enforcement Cooperation

But this is where the problems arise. Optimal enforcement of domestic laws against crime is a credible threat because there is a single enforcement authority (usually a city or state government) that has both the will and the resources to apprehend offenders. In addition, there exists a highly organized criminal justice system aimed at adjudicating criminal charges and carrying out sanctions against convicted defendants. In contrast, enforcement of laws against piracy, because it usually occurs outside of any single country’s jurisdiction, necessitates the cooperation of multiple nations in order to achieve optimal enforcement. As we have detailed elsewhere, there are several reasons why this is not likely to happen (Hallwood 2013; Hallwood & Miceli 2012; Hallwood & Miceli 2013a & b).

First, law enforcement has public good qualities in the sense that actions by any one country to apprehend and punish offenders will benefit all countries whose ships are at risk. Thus, each country has an incentive to “free ride” on the efforts of others. Thus, in the absence of some mechanism (like a treaty) that obliges countries to contribute to the enforcement effort, the level of that enforcement will be too low.

Second, if the costs of prosecuting pirates fall exclusively on the country that apprehends them, then countries will have an additional reason to refrain from enforcement, especially if the offender’s acts were not against the apprehending country’s vessels. A related problem is that threats to actually impose punishments may lack credibility, either due to the costs of incarceration or in some cases, sympathy for the pirates’ cause or grievance. Indeed, there are many stories of pirate’s simply being released after capture.

A final enforcement problem concerns the nature of the sanction to be imposed. If the apprehending country chooses its own sanction, there will be considerable variability in the nature and severity of punishment, as well as in in judicial procedures and evidentiary standards. This lack of uniformity in punishment makes it difficult for offenders to predict the consequences of their actions, which mitigates the deterrent effect of threatened sanctions.

New Approaches

The U.N. and some countries recognize the inadequacy of current multi-state enforcement of existing international laws against piracy, which has prompted efforts to improve cooperation. Other observers have proposed enhanced remedies. One is the use of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to try pirates. However, this would likely require modification of its jurisdiction, given that its use is currently limited to war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and aggression. It would not seem to be a large stretch, however, to include maritime piracy in this list.

A second proposal is to apply the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation (SUA Convention) to piracy. Although the Convention was aimed at terrorism, some have argued that several of its provisions could be used to improve anti-piracy efforts. For example, the chief maritime officer for the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO), a ship-owners association, argued before the U.S. House of Representatives that the SUA Convention can and should be used against piracy and that it is incorrect to say that it applies only to terrorism. Indeed, the Convention purports to be directed at unlawful acts that are directed “against the safety of maritime navigation, and that jeopardizes the safety of persons and property…” Although piracy would seem to fit these criteria, there seem to be no current efforts to pursue this proposal.

Literature and Further Reading

Becker, Gary. 1968. Crime and punishment: An economic approach. Journal of Political Economy, 76: 169-217.

Bahadur, Jay. 2011. Deadly waters: inside the hidden world of Somalia’s pirates. London: Profile Books.

Bueger, Christian. 2013. Practice, pirates and coast guards: the grand narrative of Somali piracy. Third World Quarterly, 34(10): 1811–1827.

Hallwood, Paul. 2013. Piracy and the law of the sea: an empty vessel? SAIS Review of International Affairs, 33(2): 117–126.

Hallwood, Paul & Miceli, Thomas J. 2012. The economics of international cooperation in the apprehension and prosecution of maritime pirates. Ocean Development & International Law, 43(2): 188-200.

Hallwood, Paul & Miceli, Thomas J. 2013a. An economic analysis of maritime piracy and its control. Scottish Journal of Political Economy, 60(4): 343–359.

Hallwood, Paul & Miceli, Thomas J. 2013b. An examination of some problems with international law governing maritime piracy. Maritime Policy & Management, 40(1), 37–41.

Polinsky, A. Mitchell & Shavell, Steven. 2000. The economic theory of law enforcement. Journal of Economic Literature 38, 45-76.

World Bank. 2013. The Pirates of Somalia: ending the threat, rebuilding the nation. Washington: The World Bank.

About the Authors

Paul Hallwood is Professor of Economics at the University of Connecticut. He has published nine books as well as in leading economic journals across a broad range of fields especially in international economics. His latest book is Economics of the Oceans: Rights, Rents and Resources, Routledge, 2014.

Thomas J. Miceli is Professor of Economics at the University of Connecticut. He has published widely in the area of law and economics, including the textbook The Economic Approach to Law, 2nd Edition (Stanford University Press, 2009).

The article was first published at piracy-studies.org and has been reproduced with the permission of the author.

Enforcing the Law: An Economic Approach to Maritime Piracy and its Control appeared first on Marine Insight - The Maritime Industry Guide

The dictionary definition of citadel states that it is ‘A stronghold into which people could go for shelter during a battle.’ In terms of ships, a citadel refers to a room where the crew of the ship can hide in case there is a pirate attack on the ship or when the pirates are aboard the ship. In recent times, the usage and incorporation of the citadel method in ships to protect the ship’s crew against maritime piracy has increased.

There are however several aspects that need to be noted about the citadel anti-piracy method. Some of the key points can be listed down as follows:

• The citadel anti-piracy method is recommended to be installed in ships as per the regulations of the International Maritime Security Centre

• The citadel requires having not just food and water supplies but also effective communication channels to be able to communicate with the outside world, with a proper system of ventilation and a first aid kit

• The room can also be fitted with CCTV cameras and should have the control for switching off the engines – both main and auxiliary

• The citadel needs to be properly planned and constructed. The anti-piracy fortification is like a last attempt on the part of the ship’s crew to escape from the pirates. This is why there cannot be any loopholes in the construction of the stronghold

• The entire marine piracy stronghold needs to be amidst a circle of defenses that extend up to 1500 metres

How beneficial is Citadel Anti-Piracy Method?

Just as the technique to counter marine piracy should be an effective one; without proper knowledge to use the citadel technique, the method could prove to be dangerous. This is why the crew of the ship needs to understand how everything operates in the citadel and what are the important points that needed to be taken into consideration. If these details are not paid attention to, then the citadel could itself end up being a fatal prison for the crew assembled there for protection.

Moreover, constructing a citadel is also very expensive. This is because the room has to be complete and thoroughly made to withstand any kind of weapon impact and should have the necessary equipments. For this reason, sometimes ship’s engine room is used as citadel to escape the pirates. Major shipping companies regard the expenditure of the anti-piracy stronghold as one of the biggest expenditures that they need to carry out. But the same level of expenditure when compared to the amount of ransom demanded by pirates appears to be very minimal. For this sole reason, many shipping companies have decided to go for the citadel especially in those ships which have a route that passes through waters where marine piracy abounds.

With the help of citadel, hostage situation due to maritime piracy can be successfully thwarted, making the methodology a highly favourable one. However, all the precautionary steps should be taken to make sure that it safe and secure for the ship’s crew.

You may also like to read-Video: A Robot to Fight Pirates at Sea

References: maritimeaccident, breakbulk, maritimeaccident, museprogroup, sdir

Image Credits: flickr

What is “Citadel” Anti-Piracy Method? appeared first on Marine Insight - The Maritime Industry Guide

The threat of maritime piracy has mushroomed enormously in the past few years. The news channels on a daily basis have a new incident to report about pirates attacking a crew and looting the vessel or hijacking a ship, and even causing harm to the crew when their ransom demands are not met by the authorities.

The spread of sea piracy, in contemporary times, is not restricted to one particular sea area or zone. It has become rampant in almost each and every part of the world.

Detailed below are 10 piracy affected areas where the terror and threat of sea pirates have reached looming proportions:

1.  Malacca Straits: Located in the Indian Ocean, the Strait of Malacca has been a very prominent area affected by marine piracy. Since the Strait forms a commercial getaway for the Suez Canal, Egypt and Europe, in addition to being one of the most important Indo-Sino marine navigation routes; the area is susceptible to high incidences of maritime piracy.

 However collaborated efforts amongst the Indonesian, Malaysian and Singaporean authorities are being carried out to reduce the piracy incidents in this part of the world.

2.  South China Sea: Mostly Malaysians or Indonesians, the marine pirates in the South China Sea are regarded to be amongst the most dangerous pirates who ply their nefarious activities. The South China Sea piracy occurs in the Malaysian water area leading to a cause of concern for authorities in the country.

3.  Gulf of Aden: The entrance to the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden is another affected piracy sea area. The Gulf forms an important trading route leading into the Suez Canal and is geographically well-positioned with anarchic Somalia.

The Somali sea pirates wreak havoc in this navigational route causing a lot of problems for authorities and shipping conglomerates across the world.

4.  Gulf of Guinea: An emerging area of piracy activities, the Gulf of Guinea spans a major portion of North-Western and Southern Africa (Angola). It is a very important trade route for crude oil tankers to the European and American continents, making it an appropriate target for the wrongdoers.

As per the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) statistics, so far there have been reported 27 attacks, though in the absence of a proper definition of the term ‘piracy’, it has been speculated that many attacks may go unreported.

5.  Benin:  Benin in Africa is yet another geographic area infested with marine pirates. The area has been listed as one of the high-risk areas in terms of marine shipping. The IMO has taken various steps to counter maritime piracy in this piracy affected area, though positive results are yet to be seen.

6.  Nigeria: Nigeria in the Western part of Africa is regarded to be a hive of piracy activities. The threat of piracy is so high in the region that it has been rated as being one of the riskiest areas for marine cargo transportation. The factor of the security cover provided by the Nigerian naval authorities is also lacking, leading to an increase in sea piracy in this area.

It has also been reported that due to extensive piracy threat, shipping through the entire marine belt of West Africa requires a heavy high insurance cover for the goods thus being transported.

One of the major points of distinction between the incidents of marine piracy occurring in the Western part of Africa and Somalia is that the pirates operating in West Africa operate at a much lower level when compared to their Somali counterparts.

7.  Somalia: The main reason for marine piracy occurring at mammoth proportions in Somalia is because of extreme poverty in the region caused due to civil war, government ineffectuality and vast dumps of marine wastes – toxic in nature – existing in the Somali sea-waters. Because of piracy, there have been other problems in the form of fast-increasing premium rates for insurance policies. 

Maritime piracy in Somalia is a cause of international concern as the people of the country have come to believe that piracy is the only option available to them to ward off poverty and other constraints plaguing them.

8.  Indonesia: Indonesia is also amongst the highly affected piracy areas in the world. Some of the areas that are targeted by the sea pirates are the Anambas, Natuna and the Merundung Islands, where pirates have been reported to attack ships during nighttime as opposed to in the daylight. The Indonesian authorities’ punitive response to the captured pirates in the country is also very lackadaisical raising major concerns across the world.

9.  Arabian Sea: The Gulf of Oman is one of the areas in the Arabian Sea which has been targeted repeatedly by sea pirates. However, international organisations and authorities have downplayed the extent of security cover to be provided by them in these areas, as compared to the ones offered in piracy infested areas like the Gulf of Aden and the Somali coasts.

This is mainly because of limitations in the available naval resources to act as an effective cover and because of the position of the area geographically.

10.  Indian Ocean: The waters of the Indian Ocean are also falling prey to the acts of sea pirates. These pirates hail from the ravaged nation of Somalia and have been causing problems to Indians as well as ships hailing from other countries. The Indian Ocean is an unavoidable marine navigation route, thereby highlighting the nature of the problem far more starkly.

Marine piracy is a crime that needs to be addressed without any delay. The international maritime committees and organisations are doing their share of shouldering the responsibility, but in the absence of a positive and responsible internal government, executing justice becomes quite difficult.

This leads to a greater spread of piracy sea activities. In the best interests of not just the trading community but also of the lives involved – both the crew as well as the circumstance-turned-pirates – proactive action needs to be taken.

You may also like to read – 10 Most Famous Pirates of the Marine World 

Disclaimer: The authors’ views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Marine Insight. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendations on any course of action to be followed by the reader.

10 Maritime Piracy Affected Areas around the World appeared first on Marine Insight - The Maritime Industry Guide

Inspiration often finds its way through real-life events. The problem of Somali pirates plaguing the waters of Africa, the Indian Ocean and its surrounding arms extending to the Mid-east has been the source of inspiration for various Hollywood dramas. Each movie speaks its own tale, highlighting the troublesome nature of the maritime zone that has been a cause of worry for the entire global shipping domain.

Most of these Somali pirates movies are based on incidents that have taken place in people’s lives. Some movies even have had real-life characters acting their part within it. These aspects have thus made these pirate movies far more impactful with the audiences not only understanding the relevance of the subject but also correlating its significance.

Five such extremely poignant somali pirates movies based on maritime piracy can be pinpointed as follows:

1. A Hijacking: A Danish movie, ‘A Hijacking’ was released in the year 2012. The plot of the movie primarily revolves around the hijacking of a Danish freight ship by the Somali Pirates. The screenplay of the negotiations that follow between the pirates and the owner of the shipping conglomerate to which the ship belongs makes for an interesting and intense drama outplay.

2. Stolen Seas: Released in the year 2012, the Stolen Seas presents a totally different picture to the Somali piracy issue. The movie plot outlines the sad plight of the crewing personnel of a Danish freight vessel taken into captivity by the Somali pirates. The confusion and the pathos faced by the translator of the somalia pirates caught in his own troubles also add to the movie’s excellent screenplay and sense of direction. It is a must-watch movie on Somali pirates for everyone who is interested in piracy at sea.

3. Fishing without Nets: Unlike several of its peers that broached the subject of hijacking by Somali Pirates, Fishing without Nets presented the sea robbers’ side of the tale. It is a touching narrative that won a lot of accolades and awards in quite a few international film festivals, including the ‘Grand Jury Award’ in the premier ‘Sundance Film Festival’ for the year 2012. The plot delves into the life of the immense struggles that Somali fisher-folk are subject to that force them to turn to sea piracy with no other recourses available to them to survive in the harsh world.

4. Captain Phillips: The movie is an adaptation of the traumatic experience borne by skipper Richard Phillips of the captured American freight vessel ‘Maersk Alabama.’ To be released in the October of 2013, legendary Hollywood actor Tom Hanks plays the leading role of skipper Richard Phillips. Directed by Paul Greengrass with screenplay written by Billy Ray and Richard Phillips himself, Captain Phillips’ story is based on the book penned by Richard Phillips – A Captain’s Duty – after his freedom from the captivity of the Somali pirates.

5. The Project: The project is a docudrama created by well-known American journalist Adam Ciralsky. The somali pirates movie is an exhilarating account of a specially outfitted soldier-of-fortune gang that deals with rescue missions involving the Somali sea robbers. It’s a vivid representation of the escalating problems of Somali Pirates that plague the entire global shipping world and the measures that have been to be taken to counter the same effectively. The movie has been presented in several important film festivals to quite overwhelming responses from the audiences.

Do you know any other interesting Somali pirates movies?

You may also like to read –

• 10 Most Famous Pirates of the Marine World 
• 8 Best 3D Pirate Ship Puzzles

Top 5 Must-Watch Somali Pirates Movies appeared first on Marine Insight - The Maritime Industry Guide

Contemporarily, the cargo ship MV Maersk, Alabama, is under the operation of the conglomerate Waterman Steamship, under the ownership of the Maersk Shipping Company, an ancillary corporation of the shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk.

Maersk Alabama: Technical Specifications 

The Maersk Alabama was built in the Taiwanese shipbuilding yard of the China Shipbuilding Conglomerate. The vessel measures almost 510 feet with a beam of over 80 feet. Alabama has a gross tonnage of around 14,000 tonnes and a Dead-weight Tonnage (DWT) of over 15,000 tonnes, with speeds extending over 18 knots. A crew of 21 members man the vessel while it’s operated in its routine marine voyaging channels.

Maersk Line Ship: Causes of Infamy

Although an exemplary vessel amongst its class, this Maersk vessel has gained extreme notoriety in the past few years. The ship plies mainly between the east-African water routes passing through countries like Kenya and the Republic of Djibouti. Thought first glance, the way seems pretty easy to traverse, but the presence of buccaneers and pirates near the water route of Somalia has added to the threat of international shipping in these geographic parts.

MV Maersk Alabama has fallen prey to these Somali pirates almost five times in the past two years. Though four times, buccaneers have been successfully prevented from taking hostage of the vessel and its crew members, there was a considerable risk to life. Once in 2009, the vessel’s captain, Richard Phillips, was captured by the hijackers while navigating at a distance of about 450 kilometres from the coast of Somalia. Captain Phillips was taken to a separate lifeboat and demanded a ransom of 2 million dollars.

Maersk Alabama Hijacking and Follow-through

The Maersk Alabama hijacking became an intense topic of debate and discussion, considering that Alabama was the very first United States vessel to be held captive by Somali buccaneers. The stand-off between the United States and the pirates continued. When negotiations failed, the United States navy began a rescue effort by deploying Destroyer USS Bainbridge marine vessel.

In April in the year 2009, despite several security protocols and guidelines provided to the MV Alabama about the prevailing danger in and around the Somali waters, there was a breach when a group of four buccaneers entered Maersk Alabama when it was 240 nautical miles southeast of Somalia port city of Eyl. They over-mastered the crew members while also taking the vessel’s captain as surety for ransom.

The ship had a 20-member crew and was en route to Mombasa in Kenya. It was loaded with 17,000 metric tons of cargo, and 5000 tonnes of it were relief goods for Somalia, Kenya and Uganda. Per Chief Engineer Mike Perry, the engineers sunk the pirate speedboat after the pirates boarded their vessel by swinging the rudder of their ship towards the smaller boat.

At the time of the incident, all other crew members locked themselves in the engine room. The captain and two members stayed on the bridge. The engineer took control of the vessel from below. Hence, the bridge controls became useless.

The rescue operation concluded in an overwhelming success when navy seal snipers led by Commander Frank Castellano successfully shot dead three of the four buccaneers and freed the captive skipper of the MV Maersk, Alabama. One of the pirates, Abduwali Muse, surrendered and was sentenced to 33 years in prison.

Following this pirating act, in the same year, in November, yet another hijacking act was thwarted by the alertness of the sentries posted aboard the Maersk line ship. Following the attacking threat in 2009, an attempt was made to seize the Maersk vessel in the September of 2010, the failure of which prompted two more such – albeit failed – taking attempts in March and May last year.

Litigation against the Maersk Shipping Line

In April this year, the crew members of the Maersk vessel filed a petition with a county court seeking financial reparation for the piracy act carried out on the ship. The litigators have complained against both the vessel owners – the Moller-Maersk shipping line and its subsidiary Maersk Shipping Company – and the operators. The ship’s captain isn’t named in the litigation as causation is also inferred to be a part of the litigators’ demand for financial compensation of US$ half a billion.

MV Maersk Alabama and Movies

Based on the captain’s penning of his harrowing experience as a pirate captive, a movie is scheduled to be in the offing. Reputed and noteworthy actor Tom Hanks is reported to be a part of the movie, directed by yet another stellar Hollywood director of the ‘The Bourne Series’ fame.

Through the cinemascope rendering of the vessel, people worldwide can understand what mariners and seafarers passing through the volatile Somali coast undergo. Even though the maritime domain faces such threats almost daily, it’s perhaps testimony to the professionals’ strength and fortitude that they undertake to carry out necessary marine operations with the least possible fuss.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Maersk, Alabama, still in service?

When hijacked, it was owned by the Danish Shipping Company Maersk Line. However, after that, it was acquired by Element Shipmanagement SA of Greece and was renamed MV Tygra. The ship is still operational.

2. Where is the Maersk Alabama lifeboat now?

The Maersk Alabama lifeboat on which Captain Phillips was kept hostage by Somali pirates in 2009 is displayed at the National Navy SEAL Museum.

3. Who built the ship, and what are its physical dimensions?

The Maersk Alabama was built in the Taiwanese shipbuilding yard of the China Shipbuilding Conglomerate. The vessel measures almost 510 feet with a beam of over 80 feet. Alabama has a gross tonnage of around 14,000 tonnes and a Dead-weight Tonnage of about 15,000.

4. Why did the Maersk Alabama hijacking become an intense topic of debate and discussion?

The Maersk Alabama hijacking became an intense topic of debate and discussion, considering that Alabama was the first United States vessel flying the American Flag to be held captive by Somali pirates.

5. Did Captain Phillips get a settlement?

Although he was unharmed and proclaimed a hero by many, the crew of his vessel said that he failed to heed warnings and set a course that put them all in danger. In 2009, they sued the shipowner Maersk Line, and the suit was later settled for an undisclosed amount of money.

You might also like to read-

• Pirate Ransom Negotiations: Resolving the Paradoxes of Extortionate Transactions with Somali Pirates
• What Can Shippers Do Against Pirate Attacks At Sea?
• 10 Most Famous Pirates of the Marine World
• Top 5 Must-Watch Somali Pirates Movies
• A New Laser System to Defend Ships from Pirates

The Story of Maersk Alabama Container Vessel appeared first on Marine Insight - The Maritime Industry Guide

Maritime piracy must have been in existence ever since the first ship set its sails on the high seas. Talk about sea pirates to your friends or relatives and the first thing that would come to their minds are the images of Capt. Jack Sparrow and Barbossa from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean.

For landlubbers, it’s hard to imagine that today a sea pirate looks no different from any of us. The only difference is that he is better trained, more fearless and perhaps a part of an organized crime or terrorist network. That is what our seafarers have to deal with in today’s world at sea and live in constant fear of getting jacked or looted or even killed by the sea pirates when sailing on highly dangerous waters infested with such criminals.

In the olden days, merchant ships were well armed and prepared with gallant sailors who carried guns and swords to protect themselves and their precious cargo. In comparison to older ships, today’s maritime fleet is completely unarmed and banks on non-lethal anti-piracy weapons and armed guards to deter the sea pirates or rely on naval vessels or coast guard. Training ashore and onboard deals strictly with methods to protect us from piracy but not to fight pirates. No seafarer in his right mind would want to fight pirates armed or otherwise.

Image Credits: ukchamberofshipping.com

Since specialized shore-based training is already provided to seaman today for tackling maritime piracy issues, I would focus here more on the growing trends of piracy at sea worldwide and how it is affecting the seamen.

Earlier before socio-economic and political issues redefined the whole meaning of maritime piracy, Piracy from Malacca strait to the West Coast of Africa and even India was confined more with the looting of ship’s property and crew’s personal items. With changing political dynamics from the year 2005 onwards, Somalia grabbed the world centre stage in ship hijackings and the entire Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden became virtually a “No Man’s Land” for seafarers. The plight of captured seamen, their captivity for several months has only increased the presence of Naval Vessels in the area, but still, there seems to be no lasting solution to this problem.

The hijacking of unarmed ships and kidnapping of seafarers near Nigeria and Somalia have become the most lucrative business for political rebels, organized criminals and agencies involved in the negotiation of ransom payments. Also, the South China Sea/Singapore strait has been reporting a considerable number of hijackings of small ships in the past few years.

Is there a Solution to Curb Maritime Piracy? 

If we check the history of piracy around the USA, rarely one will read about cases of ship hijacking. The US coast guard is extremely alert and professional and the coast is well guarded. Can other countries with piracy activities along their coasts boast such a firewall against pirates?

No doubt the coast guard of these countries are alert and their navies are excellent, but the lack of enforcing legislation on lines of USCG 96 hours (NOA) has made coastlines of countries such as India prone to alien vessels.

Many of these countries (e.g. India) do not have Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) and ships report to port authorities only when within VHF range. Comparatively, if the US coast guard does not receive the mandatory 96 hrs.’ notice of arrival a ship cannot dock to any of its port and this system ensures each and every approaching vessel is tracked and monitored. A shipmaster before arriving at US port must declare all particulars of his crew, cargo, past history of ports called by the ship etc. This is a great method to keep illegal activities away from the country.

Shipowners have started installing armed guards, created citadels and barbed wires on board for protection from piracy attacks, but these measures are focused mainly on ships transiting the Gulf of Aden or pirated sensitive areas in the Arabian Sea and Indian ocean. The recent shooting case of an Indian fisherman off the Kerala coast by Italian armed guards has given a good excuse to some ship-owners to remove armed guards quoting this incident and leaving their seafarers totally at the mercy of patrolling Naval vessels.

Several measures are taken by NATO’s Operation ocean shield, the EU’s NAVFOR operation Atlanta and the Combined Task force151 have been helpful to deter the pirates from attacking ships off Somalia up to a certain extent, but not completely. The political situation in Somalia is too complex for any foreign government to interfere and to provide a lasting solution. Considering the easy money that the ransom brings to the pirates, the problem of Somali pirates will not end very soon.

With piracy spreading its influence to many terrorist groups who eye easy money with the kidnapping and seajacking of ships, seafarers are one left at the receiving end and more vulnerable to such piracy attacks.

What Seafarers Should Do To Tackle Maritime Piracy?

Seafarers should demand armed guards in all hostile waters where even the minutest risk exists for militants to settle scores with theirs or any foreign Govt. or to wage war on a foreign nation. For those who do not track IMB piracy reports, the following sea areas are prominent piracy prone areas as declared by IMB PRC and seafarers should be vigilant when passing through them.

1. Bangladesh

2. India

3. Indonesia

4. Singapore strait

5. Malacca strait

6. South china sea

7. Lagos

8. Cotonou(Benin)

9. Lome (Togo)

10. Abidjan(Ivory coast)

11. Gulf of Aden/Red sea

12. Somalia

Seafarers should also read the Best Management Practices – For Protection against Somalia Based Piracy(Version 4 – August 2011)

To Report of Somali piracy incidents only – please contact below immediately

UKMTO: Tel: +971 50 552 3215, Fax: +971 4 306 5710, Email: UKMTO@eim.ae

MSCHOA: Tel: +44 (0) 1923 958547, +44 (0) 1923 958700

Fax: +44 (0) 1923 958520, Email: postmaster@mschoa.org

NATO: Tel: +44 (0) 1923 956574, Fax: +44 (0) 1923 956575. Email: info@shipping.nato.int

IMB PRC: Tel: +60 3 2031 0014, Fax: +60 3 2078 5769, Email: piracy@icc-ccs.org / imbkl@icc-ccs.org

To Report incidents on Piracy and Armed Robbery occurring anywhere else in the world please contact the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre:

Ships are advised to maintain strict anti-piracy watches and report all piratical attacks (actual and attempted) and suspicious sightings to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: +60 3 2078 5763 Fax: + 60 3 2078 5769,

E-mail: imbkl@icc-ccs.org / piracy@icc-ccs.org

The Centre’s 24 Hours Anti Piracy HELPLINE is: + 60 3 2031 0014

I was recently watching the famous TV-series Homeland where the FBI shoots a terrorist after tracking him right down to the last few meters using their advanced satellite imaging system. Considering there are such advanced technologies available ( I suppose there are) that can be used to keep pirate ships under surveillance, tracked or even destroyed, it is hard to believe why are they still not being used for such a purpose. A naïve seafarer will never understand the political moves of affected business houses who perhaps never want this piracy to end. No one knows what is the real reason behind these activities and what are the probable solutions. Until now the shipping industry is just defending itself from maritime piracy. We wonder when will the responsible people find real solutions to end this and for long seafarers will have to risk their lives at sea?

What do you think is the solution to curb maritime piracy? Let us know in the comments below.

The Menace of Maritime Piracy and Somali Pirates – Is There a Solution? appeared first on Marine Insight - The Maritime Industry Guide

The Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) is a safety measure for strengthening ship’s security and subduing acts of piracy and/or terrorism against shipping. Widely Acknowledged as a part of the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS code), the Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) complements the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s attempts to increase maritime vessel security.

Cospas-Sarsat, with International Maritime Organization’s cooperation, came up with this project of Ship Security Alert System (SSAS). The basic idea is that in case of an attempted piracy effort, terrorist act, or any other incident which can be defined as a threat to the ship under the maritime security, the ship’s SSAS beacon would be activated, responding to which an appropriate law-enforcement or military forces would be dispatched for rescue. The Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) beacon and the Aircraft Transponder Emergency Code 7700 are operated on the fundament of similar principles.

Related Read: 10 Things to Consider Before Your Ship Enters Piracy Prone Area

The SSAS is a type of silent ship security alarm system which, when activated, does not issue any audio-visual signal on the ship or to nearby vessels or security forces. The alert in most cases is first received by the ship’s owner or an SSAS management third party, then passed to the ship’s flag state, and these receivers are obliged to inform the national authorities of the coastal states where the ship is sailing.

The Flag States decide who will be the initial recipient of the security alerts from the ships. The recipient may be one or more parties designated by the Flag State as competent authorities, which may include the Company (shipowner) or a SSAS manaegement third party.

Related Read: How Ship Security Reporting System (SSRS) helps to Improve Maritime Security?

How SSAS works?

• When the maritime security staff comprehends probable danger from pirates or terrorists, a Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) alert is triggered

• The beacon transmits a specific security alert, with important details about the ship and its location, to the administration and to the owner, or appointed professional SSAS management and monitoring services

• Once receiving the signal, the administration will notify the nearest national authorities of the area which will dispatch appropriate military or law-enforcement forces to deal with the terrorist or pirate menace

Legislation on Ship Security Alert System (SSAS)

In December 2002, International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted some changes within which Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) was determined in SOLAS Chapter XI-2, Regulation 6. It also required IMO to produce guidance on the implementation and instructions on the handling of covert alerts from SSAS instrumentation.

According to the international requirements regarding the security of ships and of port facilities, following ships must be provided with an SSAS:

• All cargo ships which are constructed on or after 1st July 2004
• All passenger ships and high-speed craft intended to carry passengers which are constructed before 1 July 2004 not later than at the first survey of their radio installation after 1st July 2004
• Oil tankers, chemical tankers, gas carriers, bulk carriers and cargo high-speed craft of 500 GT and above constructed before 1 July 2004 not later than at the first survey of their radio installation after 1 July 2004
• Other cargo ships of 500 GT and above constructed before 1 July 2004 and mobile offshore drilling units not later than at the first survey of their radio installation after 1 July 2006.

Related Read: What Are The Security Levels Under ISPS Code?

The SSAS alerts are to be sent by the security staff, necessarily at routine priority, from the ship to its administration directly or other proper recipient designated by the Administration (flag state).

These routine priority SSAS alerts might be chosen by Administrations to have from their flagships addressed to Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres in their own region or to other targets such as ship owners or managers.

Satellite service of Inmarsat C, mini-C and D+ would help affirm the full accessibility of processing the messages of Ship Security Alert System (SSAS), while the existing outdated GMDSS would require an update provided by its manufacturers or agents.

SSAS solutions, which are available on the Inmarsat network, inevitably render more flexibility in the routing of SSAS alerts.

In accordance with the requirements of the IMO, these alerts could be sent to any destination, which might be a rescue coordination center, or a national security organisation or the shipowner or any other third-party organisation but necessarily selected by the flag administration.

The security staff can deliver the Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) to fax, email, telex, GSM phone, or even to other Inmarsat terminals for the sake of ship security complying with the legislation specified in Regulation 6.

Related Read: What is Ship Security Assessment (SSA)? 

The SSAS Button/Switch:

As per the regulation, minimum two security alert buttons must be provided on the ship, one being located on the bridge and the second one should be located in any other prominent position (for e.g. Accommodation). The location of the switch must be known to all the ship’s crew.

The switch must be provided with a protective latch cover, to avoid misuse or accidental operation of the vessel. When the ship is at dry dock and if any work is being carried out near the SSAS button, proper instruction must be given to the person involved in that area for not touching/operating the button. In dry dock or layups, the latch can be locked temporarily, with the key kept at an accessible location and known to Master and the Ship Security Officer. During normal operation, the safety cover should never be locked.

When the Ship Security Alert System is Activated, following details will be sent to the administration:

1. Name of ship
2. IMO number allotted to the ship
3. The Call Sign of the ship
4. The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) position of the ship in latitude and longitude
5. Maritime Mobile Service Identity
6. Date and time of the alert according to the GNSS position (as per the current time the ship is sailing)

Once the SSAS is pressed, the alert should be continuously transmitted to the administration or designated authority selected by the administration unless it is reset or deactivated.

Related Read: 10 Ways to Enhance Ship Security

The responsibility of the Signal Receiver:

• The SSAS signal is received by the administration (flag state) and either by the owner or another representative selected by the administration (professional SSAS management and monitoring services)
• An email or phone number is dedicated to receiving the SSAS alert and should be continuously monitored by the administration representatives as missing the alert or acting late on it can cause severe harm to the life and property
• Once the signal is received, the date and time should not be misunderstood as the local time of the administration or owner’s location. The date and time represent the location of the ship which is currently sailing. (for e.g. the Panama registry office will receive the signal of its ship sailing near Somalia, hence if the message is received at 11:47 PM Wednesday, in Panama, it is sent 7:47 am Thursday from Somalia)

Related Read: What are the Duties of Ship’s Company Security Officer (CSO)?

• Make contact with the vessel about the alert signal to make sure the alert is legitimate and not a faulty alert
• Once the alert is confirmed legitimate, the administration should alert the situation to the nearest coastal authority and security agency.
• If the alert is generated due to fault in the SSAS equipment, ensure to inform the same to coastal and security authorities.

Testing Of SSAS :

• The SSAS should be tested for its proper function to ensure it is working properly as the functionality of the SSAS is crucial in case of a real emergency
• Also, as per the Maritime Safety Committee circular- 1155, the companies must ensure to notify the flag stat well ahead of the test so that it should not be misunderstood as a real emergency
• Most of the flag states (administration) responsible for receiving and acting on the signal have laid down rules for communicating the test procedures of SSAS. For e.g. some flag state has the requirement to notify about the SSAS test not more than 2 days in advance and not less than 4 hours prior to the test
• The shipmaster is responsible to notify the same by a pre-test notification email to the email address provided by the flag state dedicated to testing communications. This helps the flag state and the ship representative in effectively tracking the alert notifications and ensuring there is no miscommunication as it may lead to unintended emergency response actions, which will cost valuable time and money
• The email or message sent to the flag state must contain “TEST” word in the subject and inside the message to ensure there is no confusion whatsoever
• Once the test has been performed, the Master of the ship should send another email/ message to the administration about the conclusion of the test, as soon as possible. This ensures the administration will be ready to respond to the emergency in case another alert comes of a real emergency
• It may happen that the SSAS button and instrument associated with it are faulty and continuously sending alerts to the administration. In such case, the company security officer (CSO) must inform the situation to the administration using the proper channel and ensure the repair is carried out at the earliest possible situation.
• Once the SSAS equipment has been rectified and restored to the normal operation, the Ship Security Officer (SSO) must inform the Company Security Officer (CSO), and then he/she will inform the same to the flag state.

Related Read: What Are The Duties Of Ship Security Officer (SSO)?

Annual check of complete SSAS system must be performed (usually done during annual radio equipment survey) and also during the renewal or intermediate inspection of ISPS certificate. The checks to be performed as per the Ship Security Plan.

The unit should have the option to test the alarm internally when the flag state representative is onboard.

Benefits

• Fully maritime focused

• Use of the Inmarsat C, mini-C, D+ satellite service

• Upgradation over older GMDSS version.

• Global coverage

• Suitable for asset tracking

• Daily reports at routine priority

• Web-based tracking

• Conforms to IMO standards and full compliance with the requirements of SOLAS XI-2/6

• Installation, testing, and instruction on usage by professionals.

SSAS Challenges:

• The SSAS setup on a ship is still considered as an additional financial burden on ships and ship owner try to stick to the regulation by providing only two ship security alert system switches on a ship. It is possible that during the attack, these two locations are not accessible and if the number of the switch is increased, it will add to the safety of the ship and its crew
• The regulation does not make it mandatory to have an independent source of power to the ship’s SSAS. In case of failure of main power or fault in the emergency backup power, the SSAS will not work
• As discussed earlier, the switches are provided in two locations which includes bridge as one location. It is important for the Master to ensure the ship’s crew knows the location of the switches. The familiarization of the locations in every drill is still not practised in many ships which may lead to confusion in case of a real emergency
• There are many agencies/ third party who are dedicated to monitoring the SSAS alert from the ship. To save the cost, many owners do not opt for such agencies and prefer to keep this service in-house (Company security officer). It is naïve to think that CSO will never miss a call or a message or the phone dedicated to the alert will never run out the battery

Disclaimer: The authors’ views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Marine Insight. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendation on any course of action to be followed by the reader.

The article or images cannot be reproduced, copied, shared or used in any form without the permission of the author and Marine Insight. 

What is Ship Security Alert System (SSAS)? appeared first on Marine Insight - The Maritime Industry Guide

Governing authorities have also realised the importance of educating seafarers on issues related to maritime security and piracy. In this article, we have presented twenty-eight online resources which would help those who seek to understand the issue of piracy at sea and also the shipping professionals seeking guidance and help regarding the same.

The list also includes websites of authorities providing security along the coast of Somalia, live piracy maps, and piracy reporting contact numbers.

Maritime Piracy Resources

1. Piracy Guidance from International Maritime Organization (IMO) – Circulars, codes, and resolutions by IMO
2. IMO Piracy Resources – Resources on Maritime Piracy by IMO
3. NATO Shipping Centre  – Information from NATO Naval forces for maritime security
4. Live Piracy Report from ICC – Information on piracy events as and when they happen
5. Maritime Security Council – The non-profit organisation for security of maritime industry
6. Save Our Seafarers – The campaign to save seafarers from sea piracy
7. RECAAP – The regional cooperation agreement on combating piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia.
8. INTERCARGO – Piracy – Piracy Briefing from INTERCARGO
9. MENAS – Middle Easy navigation aids services
10. Maritime Piracy – Humanitarian Response – Program to help seafarers and their families affected by piracy attacks
11. EUNAVFOR – Project Atlanta – The operation to protect vessels operating near Somalia
12. International Chamber of Shipping – Piracy resources from International Chamber of shipping
13. NAVAREA III Warnings (Mediterranean Sea) – Piracy warning in Mediterranean Sea
14. NAVAREA VIII Warnings (North Indian Ocean) – Piracy warning in North Indian Ocean
15. NAVAREA IX Warnings (Red Sea/ Arabian Sea/ Persian Gulf) – Piracy warning in Red Sea/ Arabian Sea/ Persian Gulf
16. BIMCO (Members only) – Piracy information for BIMCO members
17. Pirat – A Project on Piracy and Maritime Terrorism as a Challenge for Maritime Trade Security
18. International Maritime Crimes – Great resources from International Maritime Crimes – Center for International Law
19. Agent C – Employing Computational Modelling, Simulation, and Optimization to Fight Maritime Piracy
20. MERLN – Piracy resources compiled by The National Defense University
21. Piracy– Studies – Research portal for the study of maritime security and ocean governance
22. Piracy Guidelines by ICS: Guidelines for Owners, Operators and Masters for protection against piracy in the Gulf of Guinea region
23. Piracy Reports (Paid) – Paid reports on maritime piracy from RAND Corporation
24. Best management practices for protection against Somalia based piracy – A report by International chamber of commerce (ICC)
25. 24 Hours Maritime Security hotline – 24 hours maritime security hotline from ICC
26. Maritime Security Centre – Horn of Africa – Provides service to mariners in piracy affected areas
27. Sea Sentinel – Lloyds Register Fairplay service for ports, security & risk information (Paid)
28. UK – P&I Club Piracy Resource – Piracy resource from UK P&I Club

Flow Chart

We have also made a simple chart explaining how general reporting of piracy incidents. (Please do note that the process may  differ according to the region and local government).

 Additional Resources

Marsec Review – Maritime Security Review  – Provides news and expert reviews on maritime security.

OCEANUSLive – Offers maritime situational awareness to enhance safety and security at sea

Neptune Maritime Security – Features latest maritime news and articles. Also offers maritime security services.

Anti-Piracy Weapons Used on Ships:

Books on Piracy At Sea

Movies on Somali pirates

If you think we have missed any important resource on maritime piracy, then please let us know and we would add it to the list.

Disclaimer: The authors’ views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Marine Insight. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The author and Marine Insight do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendation on any course of action to be followed by the reader.

The article or images cannot be reproduced, copied, shared or used in any form without the permission of the author and Marine Insight. 

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While the number of piracy attacks along the coast of Somalia has decreased, there has been a substantial increase in piracy incidents along the coast of West Africa. As maritime organisations continue to bring in newer regulations and guidelines to protect ship from pirates, seafarers are also required to stay extremely cautious and vigilant when their ship enters a piracy sensitive area.

Mentioned are then things seafarers must do before entering piracy affected zone/ high risk areas.

1. Keep Yourself Updated with the Latest Happenings of the High Risk Areas

Get all the latest available information on piracy sensitive areas your ship is about to enter. Collect all the useful information on piracy activities from important maritime websites. Based on this information, carry out a thorough risk assessment of the vessel to assess the likelihood and consequences of piracy attacks.

The ship’s master is also required to prepare an Emergency Communication Plan to Include All Emergency Contact Numbers (provided at the end of the article) and prepared messages which should be ready at hand or permanently displayed near all external communication systems. All important warnings and information on high risk ares should be carefully reviewed.

2. Ship security Assessment and Plan: It is the duty of the company/ owner to review the SSA and SSP on a regular basis under the ISPS code. Company security Officer (CSO) must encourage ship personnel, especially Ship Security Officer (SSO) and master, to implement the SSP by exercising and briefing well ahead of ship passing high risk areas.

3. Take all Measures for Crew Safety

The safety of the ship’s crew is of prime importance. Ensure all measures are taken to prevent illegal boarding and external access to the ship’s accommodation area. The location of the muster station and citadel should be such that they are easily and quickly accessible by the ship’s crew. Care should also be taken to ensure that the crew members are not trapped inside and are able to escape in other emergency situations like fire.

As pirates usually fire at the bridge first to stop the vessel, proper ballistic protection must be provided to the ship’s crew on the bridge during piracy attack.

4. Check Ship’s Freeboard

As usually seen, pirates try to board the ship using the lowest point above the waterline as it is easy for them to climb. On the basis of past experience, it is said that the ships having a minimum freeboard greater than 8 meters have better chances of escaping a piracy attempt. However, it is to note that a large freeboard would not be of any help if the ship has easy access points to climb the ship. Special protective measures must be provided to these access points.

5. Prepare to Keep Ship’s Speed More Than 18 knots

Ship’s speed is considered one of the most effective ways to prevent a pirate attack. According to sources, there have been no reports of ships having more than 18 knots getting highjacked. As it is difficult for pirates to board at high speeds, ships are recommended to proceed at full speed or at least 18 knots during their transit through high risk area.

Refer to important websites such as NATO shipping center to get the latest information regarding pirate attack speed capability.

Note: Usually a pirate attack is carried out using small crafts which are supported by bigger vessels, also known as mother ships. This tends to restrict their operations to moderate sea state. Sea state 3 and above are difficult to operate small crafts. So keep the sea condition in mind while preparing for the piracy zone.

6. Keep Non-Lethal Weapons Ready

Keep all the non-lethal weapons handy and ensure they are in proper working condition. Crew members must know how to operate non-lethal weapons during emergency situations. Learn about different anti-piracy weapons used on ships. 

Note: Several countries have started allowing armed guards on board ships to keep pirates away.

7. Check Fire Pumps and Engines

Check all fire pumps are working properly as they will be required to run fire hoses during pirate attacks. Also ensure that the engines are working properly as the ship will be required to transit at full speed through the high risk zone.

8. Brief Crew and Conduct Drill

Before entering high risk zone the ship’s crew should be properly briefed on the preparations taken and piracy drill should also be conducted. All personnel should know their duties and must be familiar with piracy alarms and necessary response for the same.

9. Secure Doors and Hatches

Doors and hatches providing access to bridge accommodation and machinery spaces should be properly secured to prevent pirates from them. If required additional means must to taken to properly secure doors and hatches for additional protection.

Prior to entering high risk areas, procedures for controlling access to accommodation, machinery spaces and store rooms should be set out and practiced.

10. Controlled and Restricted Entry: As discussed in the above point, it is important to secure different entry points in the ship, as it will be practically not possible to shut all for few entry/ exit points are required for watch and other important ship operations to continue. It must be ensured that any emergency exit cannot be opened by outside and if pirates do gain access to the upper deck of a vessel they will be tenacious in their efforts to gain access to the accommodation section and in particular, the bridge.

11. Use Physical Barriers If Available 

If possible use physical barriers such as razor wires and electrified fence along the periphery of the ship to prevent pirates from boarding. Also keep water cannons, ballast / fire pumps, and fire hoses ready. Use all kind of barriers that are available to prevent pirates from boarding the ship.

Also, check if all the alarms and deck lights are working properly or not.

12. Check Ship’s AIS system, radar, and other important navigation equipment 

Ensure that the ship’s AIS system and other important navigation equipment are working properly. It is recommended to keep the ship’s AIS system On while transiting the high risk zone. Ensure that the ship’s radar system is working properly. Also, the ship security plan and ship security alert system (SSAS) should also be checked.

13. Keep Communication ON: Communication is an important aspect to tackle any emergency operation, especially in piracy related situations. It is important that all the crew members keep an active communication throughout:

• All personnel on duty to carry a radio.
• VHF channel 16 (8) on the bridge and in safe room.
• Identify the relevant contact information that should be available on the bridge. This could include: MTO Dubai Hotline, own company, MSC-HOA, CJTF-HOF, Rescue sources, other ships and naval ships nearby
• Test of all communication equipment

The above mentioned points are some of the most important things that should be checked before the ship enters piracy zone. However, the precautions to be taken should also include factors such as type of ship, route, weather conditions etc. Do you think anything else also must be considered while entering high risk zone? Let us know in the comments below.

Important Contacts :

To Report of Somali piracy incidents only – please contact below immediately

UKMTO: Tel: +971 50 552 3215, Fax: +971 4 306 5710, Email: UKMTO@eim.ae

MSCHOA: Tel: +44 (0) 1923 958547, +44 (0) 1923 958700

Fax: +44 (0) 1923 958520, Email: postmaster@mschoa.org

NATO: Tel: +44 (0) 1923 956574, Fax: +44 (0) 1923 956575. Email: info@shipping.nato.int

IMB PRC: Tel: +60 3 2031 0014, Fax: +60 3 2078 5769, Email: piracy@icc-ccs.org / imbkl@icc-ccs.org

To Report incidents on Piracy and Armed Robbery occurring anywhere else in the world please contact the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre:

Ships are advised to maintain strict anti-piracy watches and report all piratical attacks (actual and attempted) and suspicious sightings to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: +60 3 2078 5763 Fax: + 60 3 2078 5769,

E-mail: imbkl@icc-ccs.org / piracy@icc-ccs.org

The Centre’s 24 Hours Anti Piracy HELPLINE is: + 60 3 2031 0014

Reference: Best Management Practices for Protection Against Somalia Based Piracy

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Somali pirates take a very business-like approach to their craft. “We attack big ships that can pay us. However, after capturing several ships we have learned about what type of ships to target and which ship owner is able or willing to pay ransom money and the countries these ships usually come from,” remarked a pirate who was interviewed for a study just published in the journal of Negotiation and Conflict Management Research.

The study by a team from Michigan State University interviewed two former Somali pirates now living in Europe. They focused on how the pirates target and capture ships and then negotiate ransoms for the release of the ship.

The conceptual framework used to understand this negotiation process is termed Extortionate Transactions. The framework argues that these kinds of negotiations revolve around five paradoxes. The first two focus on how individuals view the circumstances that bring them into a crisis of extortion. First is the paradox of dispossession, or the more one has the less one has to lose. The hostage taker is both powerful (in the taking of hostages) but powerless (unable to affect change through legitimate channels) at the same time. Second is the paradox of detachment in that parties in the crisis are both attached and detached to one another and the situation simultaneously. They must work through one another to achieve an outcome, but they are detached in the sense that they dislike and distrust one another.

The remaining paradoxes focus on how parties manage the negotiations. Specifically, third is the paradox of face which holds that parties must appear both firm and tough, but also understanding and fair simultaneously. Hostage takers must appear sufficiently threatening, but also able to craft a deal. Fourth is the paradox of irrationality in which parties appear both rational and irrational at the same time as they figure out how to respond to the situation. Finally, parties must learn to confront the paradox of time which deals with the need to resolve the situation quickly while also working to lengthen the process to maintain order and let the negotiation process work.

The study found that both the Somali captors and the ship-owner negotiators can only resolve the negotiations by understanding these paradoxes and managing them effectively. For example, the pirates manage these paradoxes by taking a very sophisticated and systematic approach to hijacking ships for ransom. The process begins with a “business man” or funder who is willing to put up the cash to get the process started. Tribal elders provide the logistics, planning and strategies.

The planning includes extensive intelligence networks in the various Middle Eastern ports surrounding Somalia that are used to determine potential targets. As the pirates explain, a good target is a ship that comes from a rich country carrying a cargo that is not for humanitarian purposes, and has low sides and light defenses for an easy breach.

Once a target is identified the business man puts up the $30,000 or so needed to fund the operation. This money buys one big boat for support and two high-speed boats and weapons. “The team is deployed once the intel is received from a given ship or when we see a ship that could yield valuable ransom money in the ocean. So, we send the two small boats, which travel longer distances at high speed to capture the ships. These two boats carry a plastic/rubber ladder that we use to climb up to the ships we capture.”

Crews are well trained in using weapons and capturing ships. Pirates respect one another and work well together as a team. Elders of the tribe keep order and deal with any conflicts among the crew.

After a ship is captured the pirates immediately turn off all communication equipment to make the ship go dark. “Usually, if the company or ship owner is unable to get hold of their ship, they begin to worry and when we turn the communications of the ship back on, the ship owner or company is ready to negotiate.” The ship is then taken to a port and secured.

Once in port, the captain establishes contact with the owners and then turns over the negotiations to the pirates who work through a translator. While the negotiations are going on, the captain returns to the crew to keep them calm. The crew cooks for itself with supplies from the logistics team at the port.

The average ransom for a captured ship is usually well over $5 million. If the negotiations reach a sticking point, the pirates can begin threatening the crew to motivate the owners to settle. Ransom payments are made in cash dropped on the ship from a helicopter. About 5% of the ransom goes to shore administration, 60% goes to the businessman funder, and the remaining 35% is split between the crew and other parties involved.

Pirates are easily recruited because the money enables them to start a new life, mostly in Europe, which costs about $24,000, according to one of the pirates. Life in Somalia is very difficult since fishing and other forms of employment have dried up. In some communities pirates are looked down upon and shunned by their tribes. In others piracy is an acceptable practice.

Once the ransom is paid the ship is released. The pirates have a very extensive network so that ships are not immediately recaptured once they leave the Somali coast.

Perhaps the greatest challenge for ship owners in confronting these events is learning how to manage the paradoxes of the extortionate transaction. They must first understand how the Somali pirates view their circumstances (paradoxes of dispossession and detachment), and then adopt a negotiation process that enables them to confront the remaining paradoxes. Specifically, the paradox of face is a particularly important one. Prior research indicates that confronting this paradox requires negotiators to adhere to a specific process in which the communicators first develop a relationship or ability to understand one another, and then work through the issues in a systematic form. Failure to adhere to this kind of systematic approach subjects the negotiators to a chaotic environment that threatens the safety of the crew.

Literature and Further Reading

Donohue, W. A. (in press). “Crisis negotiation: Getting to normal.” In C. Berger & M. Roloff (Eds.), ICA/ Wiley-Blackwell encyclopedia of interpersonal communication. New York, NY: Wiley/Blackwell.

Donohue, W. A., Ramesh, C., Kaufman, G., & Smith, R. 1991. “Crisis bargaining: A framework for understanding intense conflict”. International Journal of Group Tensions, 21, 133–154.

Donohue, W. A., & Roberto, A. J. 1993. “Relational development as negotiated order in hostage negotiation.” Human Communication Research, 20, 175–198.

Donohue, W. A., & Taylor, P. J. 2003. “Testing the role effect in terrorist negotiations.”International Negotiation, 8: 527–547.

Donohue, W. A, & Pugh F., & Sabrie S. 2014. “Somali Piracy Negotiations : Resolving the Paradoxes of Extortionate Transactions” 7 (3): 173–187.

Fisher, R., & Ury, W. (1991). “Getting to yes: Negotiating agreement without giving.” New York, NY: Penguin Books.

About the Authors

William A. Donohue is a distinguished professor of Communication at Michigan State University. He received his Ph.D. from The Ohio State University in 1976. Dr. Donohue has published extensively in the areas of conflict, communication, negotiation and mediation while also conducting workshops and other intervention activities focusing on communication, leadership development, and conflict management. His co-authored book, Framing matters: Perspectives on negotiation research and practice in communication, provides a broad understanding of the role of framing in negotiation research. Dr. Donohue is a recent past president of the International Association for Conflict Management and is on the editorial board of several major journals. He can be contacted at donohue@msu.edu.

Franziska Pugh currently attends Michigan State University where she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Communication specializing in public relations. She works as a resident assistant at Michigan State University and volunteers at local service projects. Her coursework and research interests are in the area of crisis communication.

Sharmaake Sabrie is an American and a native Somali. He is currently a graduate student in the Master of Science in the Foreign Service (MSFS) program at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. Sharmaake works for the World Bank as a Private and Financial Sector Development Consultant. He previously worked for the U.S. Treasury Department as a sanction investigator trainee. He served the European Parliament as a policy analyst for Middle East and North Africa during the Arab Spring. Sharmaake previously worked with NATO on piracy in the Horn of Africa and on trans-Atlantic security challenges; he also worked for the International Criminal Court on issues of international justice and for the International Organization for Migration on migration issues from South Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

Reference: piracy-studies.org

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Maritime piracy is one of the biggest threats plaguing the international maritime sector presently. While the international maritime authorities have set up various measures to counter the piracy problem, certain shipping routes are still vulnerable from piracy attacks.

Known as chokepoints or constrictions, these water conduits are naturally narrow. They are also of extreme importance as they facilitate vital cargo operations in the smoothest of manner possible. Needless to say, they are some of the busiest shipping routes in the maritime industry.

Seven such water conduit chokepoints have been listed primarily by various maritime bodies as being the most indefensible to potential acts of maritime piracy. Spread across the globe, each of these seven shipping routes holds its unique place in the totality of the global shipping operations.

1. The Suez Canal: Forming a viable marine network between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, the Suez Canal has been a favored shipping route for countless years.

But in the recent times, the presence of certain maritime piracy groups and terrorist sects have increased the threat to the shipping operations along this route.

2. The Turkish Strait of Bosporus: The Strait of Bosporus is one of the two Turkish Straits, linking the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea through the Marmara Sea.

It is an important shipping route linking the European maritime network with its Asian counterpart and as such has a very high relevance in the global maritime sector.

3. The Hormuz Strait: Positioned quite strategically, the Hormuz Strait links the Omani Gulf with the Gulf of Persia in Middle-east Asia.

It is one of the most widely used shipping routes both for vessels incoming from the Western countries and for cargo vessels outbound for the West. It is also one of the maritime piracy affected areas.

4. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait: The Strait of Bab el-Mandeb allows the passage of vessels along North-eastern Africa. For vessels wanting to cross into the Suez Canal, this strait is a necessary route and thus forms a major choke point.

The shipping route’s location in the North-eastern part of Africa makes it highly susceptible to attacks by African pirates in the waters near the Somali Peninsula (Horn of Africa).

5. The Malaccan Strait: Connecting the Pacific and the Indian Ocean through the South China Sea, the Malaccan Strait is a very significant choke point in the Eastern global maritime sector.

Placed strategically between the countries of Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, the shipping route has over the years come under various attacks of maritime piracy.

6. The Danish Strait: Of extreme importance in the Northern European maritime network, the Danish Strait shipping route helps to interlink the North Sea with the Baltic Sea especially with respect to oil tanker ships that cross from Eastern Europe – mainly Russia – towards the West.

7. The Panama Canal: Interlinking the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific via the Sea of Caribbean, the Panama Canal is a lesser significant marine constriction, as compared to the others specified here.

However as a busy shipping route, the Panama Canal is one of the major facilitators of international cargo shipping activities and is thus vulnerable to maritime piracy.

Apart from the threat of maritime piracy, yet another threat to these shipping routes is that of border conflict. The locations of most of these chokepoints are strategic in nature. Therefore maritime transportation through these chokepoints stands to get affected in case of conflict between nations. Even aside from border conflicts, hostile governmental authorities also stand to disrupt the smooth flow of operations along these constricting water conduits.

Alternate shipping routes are being considered so as to eliminate the utilisation of these chokepoints and thus solve the core problems. The viability of some of these alternate shipping routes though is still under immense doubt specifically because of the huge operational costs. Till such alternate routes can come into existence at a future date, several restrictions and protocols to reduce the threats to these chokepoints have been introduced and implemented by various maritime bodies.

You may also like to read – 10 Most Famous Pirates of the Marine World 

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Piracy at sea  or maritime piracy is an ever growing concern for present day  seafarers and is proving to be a nightmare for maritime operators. Lately, security issues have drastically increased off the coasts of the Western African nations majorly Nigeria and to some extent off Benin, Togo and Ivory Coast have. However, piracy off the Coast of Somalia still tops the charts.

Somali pirates over the years have shown that they are ready to play havoc using violent tactics by venturing deep afield for kidnapping, hijacking and ransom. Likewise, such tactics are now being used by the pirate bands in the Western African regions. Albeit the security threats have considerably reduced off Somalia, the growing numbers of incidents along the Western African coast undoubtedly reveal that the anti-security measures in place at the moment are entirely scarce.

Recent incidents of maritime piracy off the Nigerian coast show that there have been attacks on the offshore industry as well apart from the regular tanker hijackings. Reports claim a few of the Platform Support Vessels (PSV’s) working for the Nigerian Offshore developments were seized for kidnapping the crew and subsequently for demanding a hefty ransom. Such maritime piracy incidents pose a distress situation for the offshore industry, especially with the intensity of developments swelling up in the area. Certain offshore work vessels are considered “sitting ducks” and are defenceless to the terrorising attacks.

According to experts studying the coastal WAF (Western African region), maritime piracy is distinctively categorized based on various needs –

1. Unarmed Robbery – Such attacks are usually carried out at night, on ships at anchor or drifting off the coasts. Robbers steal whatever they get their hands on, chiefly the vessel’s stores. They fear of getting caught and normally are harmless to the ship’s crew.
2. Armed Robbery / Forced Attack – Pirates use weapons and violence causing chaos among the ship members who are usually unarmed. They loot the ship and her staff at ‘gun point’ stealing cash, high value stores and personal belongings. Attacks of maritime piracy like these are dangerous as pirates with weapons are fearless and could harm the crew if resisted.
3. Hijacking Marine Tankers – The oil-rich Nigerian grounds provide marine tankers with high value cargoes such as crude oils and their products. Pirates target these vessels with the intention of hijacking them and selling off the precious cargo elsewhere. These maritime piracy operations are normally carried out by highly influenced criminal groups with a clear idea of racking millions of dollars.
4. Kidnapping – Waters off the Gulf of Aden are infested with the notorious Somali pirates with a sole purpose of seizing the ship, her crew and demand ransom to fuel demands for illegal purposes. Similar methods and intentions have now triggered the criminal gangs of the Western African countries.  Maritime piracy attacks as far as 100 nautical miles off the Nigerian coast have been reported recently.

A trend for kidnapping and demanding ransom is evolving. Seafarers and shipping had been anguished by the Somali pirates for a considerable length of time before the security forces jumped into action. Similarly, to protect the interests of seafarers and shipping in general on the coastal WAF regions, advanced security techniques should be used onboard ships. These may include designating a citadel, placing security cameras, tracking devices, hosting armed security personnel, etc.

Local governments and authorities should also participate in deploying methods to protect their waters from pirates. Enduring solutions such as deploying alert coast guards, carrying out regular criminal tribunals and development of anti-security techniques would curb maritime piracy to some extent.

Maritime piracy in the coastal WAF is sprouting ever since the substantial recognition of ‘red zone’ on the continent’s eastern shores. Concerns for the offshore and related maritime sections near the western African coasts are multiplying and it’s only a matter of time that major oil and maritime companies would start shelving their projects for security reasons.

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A shift in US foreign policy based both on changes to the threat landscape and improving domestic energy security could lead to an increase in threats to shipping within eighteen months according to David Hunkin of Dryad Maritime Intelligence. With the US strategic focus now firmly fixed on the Asia Pacific region and Iran ‘coming in from the cold’, it is only a matter of time before western navies begin withdrawing the warships that have been so successful in suppressing piracy. Then what? With no convoys and no rescue forces, the commercial shipping industry could be left to fend for itself.

According to Edward L Morse, the Managing Director and Global Head of Commodities at Citigroup, the US will become a net exporter of energy by 2020 and so for the first time in living memory, it will no longer have concerns over Gulf oil or threats to its supply. Asia is the new US focus economically, politically and from a security perspective. Asia is where the next threats and opportunities for the US will arise. The Middle East is losing its importance and American and British armed forces are already withdrawing from the region much to the consternation of GCC states.

Baroness Ashton’s recent visit to Iran, the first such visit since 2008, was a significant step in the normalisation of relations with this once pariah state. Having suffered years of suffocating sanctions, all the indications are that Iran is ready and eager to resume normal diplomatic ties with those whom they once saw as enemies. Businesses too are gearing up to return to Iran as they prepare for a huge market to re-open and to resume trading with a population that has become increasingly western facing in recent years. On current evidence, there appears to be genuine moves to re-engage and for Iran to make a meaningful return to the global stage and resume normal diplomatic and commercial relations with global trading partners. 

NATO and EU maritime forces have been highly successful in suppressing Somali piracy in recent years especially considering that it was not their primary role. It’s no secret that those maritime forces were deployed primarily to deter and be ready to defend against a miscalculation by Iran or a third party against a backdrop of an ambiguous nuclear ambition and a potential return to regional hegemony. For years, some of the most capable maritime platforms in the world were deployed east of Suez just in case Iran did the unthinkable. It could be argued that piracy was a helpful diversion, giving underemployed warships and aircraft a much needed and laudable role in defending commercial maritime trade whilst waiting for the apocalypse. But with the threat landscape changing, pressure is mounting to bring those forces home and over the next 18-months, it is expected that the naval presence east of Suez will be very different to what we see today.

So what does that mean to the vital shipping that will still be plying the waters of the once “pirate infested waters” of the Indian Ocean? Well it could well lead to a return to the bad old days of piracy and, it could be argued, it may even be worse than we have seen before. Whilst progress has been made in Somalia, the business model of piracy has not been irreversibly broken as numerous NATO commanders have warned. Piracy has been contained rather than solved and so if that containment is removed, piracy will return. Not only could a reduction in naval forces herald a return of piracy, it would also most certainly result in a reduction of rescue forces. At present, should a ship’s crew retreat to a citadel as pirates take control of their vessel, rescue forces are only hours or days away.

With a drawdown of maritime forces, such rescue could be weeks away or it may not even materialise at all and it is highly unlikely that parachuting special-forces into the middle of the ocean to retake a pirated vessel with no on-scene naval forces will be considered as a viable hostage rescue solution.

So the nexus of reducing international tension and reducing economic significance seems inevitable. At some stage in the near future, naval forces will withdraw and Somalia will still be a largely lawless and ungoverned space and piracy may well return.

Governments, international organisations, the shipping industry and the private maritime security industry have around 18-months to forge a solution if we are not to see this prediction come to pass. Dialogue needs to begin now to agree how the vacuum left by redeploying military forces is going to be filled, most likely by a commercial solution or a mix of commercial and defence capabilities. The Indian Ocean has recent and painful history of expensive private security solutions and yet placing armed guards on ships is comparatively straightforward when compared to the complexity and scale of the ‘area security challenge’ faced by maritime forces.

The solution can’t be the same commercially; industry needs to be innovative, imaginative and ultimately cost effective. Extreme caution should be exercised before revisiting the issue of ‘private navies’ however with many models already tried and failed due to the complexity and costs involved. Likewise, it is imperative that only stakeholders with the right maritime background engage in this discussion. The private maritime security industry became the new gold rush for former soldiers frustrated with earnings dwindling in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Whilst admirably entrepreneurial, most lack the experience and skills required to solve this complex multi-dimensional maritime problem. Whatever their background however, the dialogue needs to begin now to decide how the commercial sector can ensure that shipping is protected when the politicians no longer care and the warships have gone home. The clock is ticking but for once there is time to establish an effective a solution provided the reality and enormity of this situation is acknowledged and measures put in place to ensure the safety of those plying their lawful trade upon the Indian Ocean.

About Dryad Maritime : Dryad Maritime was founded to ease the vulnerability of today’s commercial seafarers whose lives are increasingly at risk from the global threats of terrorism, piracy and other waterborne crime.

During his service in the Royal Navy, Dryad Maritime’s founder Graeme Gibbon Brooks, witnessed first-hand the impact a lack of commercially-available intelligence was having on the world’s merchant fleet. Identifying there was a void between naval protection and the merchant fleet’s abilities to mitigate the risks themselves, Dryad Maritime set out to provide intelligence to the commercial industry that would enable crews to better protect themselves against the rising level of crimes at sea.

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