With the recent release of yet another maritime alert as one more bulk freight vessel goes missing, and armed guards aboard a container ship went on trial in Mombasa, information regarding the current state of the pirate ‘industry’ emerges both from within the country and from a study made by a subsidiary of the privately owned One Earth Future foundation, a not for profit operation supported by the somewhat mysterious entrepreneur and multi millionaire Marcel J.C. Arsenault - Handy Shipping Guide.
The report this week from Oceans Beyond Piracy estimates the cost of the crime during 2011 cost almost $7 billion, with the shipping industry and its insurers bearing the brunt of the cost, around $5.5 billion, and goes into specific influences, from the extended monsoon season which reduced the number of attacks, the increased security levels which, whilst cutting the number of successful attacks cost over $1 billion alone, the growth in popularity and sophistication of the crimes etc. The report can be studied in full HERE or a useful précis is viewable HERE.
The latest report from Somalia indicates the capture of a bulk Greek owned, Liberian flagged tanker, the Free Goddess, carrying 20,000 tonnes of steel cabling from Egypt to Singapore. As the usual rumours and denials fly around in Somalia as to the particular pirate gang responsible, there is currently no word from the crew of twenty one Filipinos. The ship was hijacked northeast of Socotra Island (Yemen) and reportedly headed for the Somali coast and was the first major success for the pirates this year despite at least eight other serious attempts and came as weather conditions in the Gulf of Aden improved.
Further reports received from inside the troubled country say the gangs are gearing up for the new season despite the continued expansion of the ‘arms race’ as more countries either authorise or ignore the increased weaponry carried aboard their native ships. The use of armed guards of course is not without risks as many believe it will simply lead to escalating levels of violence and now a new hazard for those prepared to carry weapons has arisen.
On the 6th February two crewmen (also alleged to be armed guards) and the Captain of the MV Belgica were up before the Mombasa Court charged with illegally possessing weapons without a police permit, namely a Remington sniper rifle, three Russian made Izhmash Saiga-MK assault rifles (an updated AK47 type), two Glock pistols and over 600 rounds of ammunition. The guns were discovered when the German owned, Panama flagged 2,468 TEU box vessel was discharging containers at the local terminal a few days earlier.
The three, Captain Bernd Waschitzek and his two officers, Sven Bauermann and Jozef Michialik have been released on bail by the Kenyan authorities after having stated that the weapons were purely for anti piracy defence. Vessel owner Hammonia Reederei has made no comment on the company website but unconfirmed reports state the vessel is still moored at Mombasa and the two crewmen are ‘security officers’.
Photo: Courtesy of Handy Shipping Guide - The haul of weapons discovered on the Belgica when examined by Kenyan authorities.
European Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas has not ruled out taking unilateral action to improve vessel safety following the worst cruise ship disaster for a generation and the continuation of Somali pirate attacks against merchant shipping - Safety4Sea.
In the area of piracy, Brussels is considering moves to make mandatory the use of Best Management Practices (BMP4) for European ships travelling in pirate waters. Fotis Karamitsos, Director for Logistics, Maritime and Land Transport in the EU Commission (DG MOVE), told SMI: "Consideration will also be given to developing better ship design and looking at ways to better deter piracy."
He said the use of armed guards would also be discussed and said a conference would be convened in the Spring where the military would be consulted to discuss and address the growing concern of piracy. Read more.
In a reportedly leaked document on the Somalia conference planned for February 23, 2012, the Somaliland Sun says it contains a draft communique to be published at the end of the conference, according to Neptune Maritime Security :
LONDON CONFERENCE ON SOMALIA: DRAFT COMMUNIQUE
The London Conference on Somalia took place at Lancaster House on 23rd February 2012, attended by around fifty representatives from the international community, and from Somalia itself. Read more.
Maritime Piracy is a threat to all nations and is a crime subject to universal jurisdiction. States are called upon to favourably consider the prosecution of suspected and imprisonment of convicted pirates, consistent with applicable International Human Rights Law and United Nations Security Council Resolutions - Lankaweb.
Pirates are considered by International Law as common enemies of all mankind. The world naturally has an interest in the punishment of offenders and is justified in adopting international measures for the application of universal rules regarding the control of terrorism. The common understanding between States has been that pirates should be lawfully captured from the high seas.
Capturing pirates in the high seas have become an extremely difficult task due to the vastness of the area and lack of resources. Despite attempts to concerted acts of nations and the United Nations to combat piracy they freely engage in disturbing the world peace by attacking the economy by blocking and harming the sea routes. The only way the goods and especially oil and gas are transported via high sea. Most ships are unarmed. Even though they are armed in the high seas pirates can be powerful as they are people who have risked everything to achieve their ends. It is informed that few pirates somehowcome home alive as the fighting in the high seas are dangerous.
Security Council of the United Nations has discussed this extensively in the highest levels. The Council adopted resolution 1897 reviewing the anti-piracy measures of resolution1846 and 1851 for another 12 months. With all that piracy continues. Read more.
Situated at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, a snow-covered Istanbul was the venue of a successful meeting in the framework of “BIMCO39” – the BIMCO network for young and mid-aged maritime professionals.
Entitled “Best Guards against Pirates” the meeting saw participation of some 60 shipping professionals from Turkey and beyond, and provided an excellent opportunity for participants to get up to speed with a series of painfully current issues related to piracy: The scope and nature of the piracy problem in a strategic context, how to implement anti-piracy Best Management Practices effectively, armed guards and the many issues for the shipowner and operator associated with their use, the commercial implications of piracy e.g. questions such as when a hijacked vessel is considered off-hire, the extent and nature of P&I cover and the various options available to owner, charterer and operator in the insurance market to hedge against the commercial risks of sailing into piracy prone waters - Neptune Maritime Security.
One topic in particular was the focus of the discussions: The use or not of private armed guards. Not least due to the excellent presentations by lawyer Stephen Askins from Ince & Co. and Nigel Carden from the International Group of P&I Clubs, supported by staff from the BIMCO Security Department and the president as well as the secretary general of BIMCO, the participants were thoroughly briefed on the advantages and potential risks associated with the use of private armed guards. The briefings provided the background for a particularly lively debate that followed, and it is safe to say that the impression which was left behind was that private armed guards may have a role to play in enhancing the security of particularly vulnerable ships. Equally clear, however, was that the decision to use armed guards should only be taken following a thorough ship and voyage specific risk assessment, in consultation with the flag state and only after detailed due diligence on the private maritime security company and its services has been carried out. Read more.
The government should consider whether to allow to defend themselves against private attacks, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said Tuesday, reports Focus Taiwan.
Taiwan's existing laws forbid fishing boats from carrying weapons on board, but the ministry feels that the Fisheries Agency and other related agencies should discuss the possibility of amending the law, said James Lee, director-general of the ministry's Department of European Affairs.
The ministry made the suggestion in response to repeated hijackings of Taiwanese vessels by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean.
At a regular news briefing, Lee also suggested that local authorities permit fishing vessels to hire private armed guards on board, a practice adopted by some European countries such as the United Kingdom to deter pirates.
The Fisheries Agency responded by saying that the issue was one requiring discussion among different agencies.
"We cannot comment on that at present," Tsay Tzu-yaw, the agency's deputy director-general, told CNA.
Meanwhile, Lee also touched on the improved cooperation between Taiwan and Europe in combating pirates, citing the example of issuing a Chinese-language handbook translated from the English-version of Best Management Practice. Read more.
Anti-piracy surveillance to ensure safety of the Indian Ocean region and security ties were among the issues discussed today between India and Seychelles which also inked two pacts for the supply of Coastal Surveillance Radar Systems and Dornier Aircraft to the island nation, reports IBN Live. External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and his counterpart from Seychelles Jean-Paul Adam held comprehensive discussions on international, regional and bilateral issues and took stock of the current status of the ties between the countries.
During the talks, India reiterated its commitment to continue its support to Seychelles for its security, development and in its capacity-building efforts. "Other areas of cooperation discussed include trade and investment, culture, hydrocarbon sector, fisheries etc. Both sides emphasized the need to continue joint surveillance of the Exclusive Economic Zone of Seychelles and anti-piracy surveillance to ensure safety of the Indian Ocean region," a release from the MEA said here.
Both sides also discussed the regional situation and matters pertaining to Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU), it said. Apart from an MOU for the supply of Coastal Surveillance Radar Systems, an agreement between Seychelles and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the supply of a Dornier Aircraft was signed.
There appears to be some confusion regarding the continuation of South Africa’s anti-piracy operation in the Mozambique Channel. The South African Navy, with the aid and support of Mozambique, has maintained a forward station at the port of Pemba since early 2011, under Operation Copper - Defence Web.
The naval presence generally consists of a frigate supported by a C-47TP Dakota reconnaissance aircraft of the South African Air Force. A South African Navy submarine has also been on patrol in the region. Navy frigate SAS Isandlwana replaced SAS Mendi on station in December.
In a letter to Parliament sent in July last year, President Jacob Zuma said that authorisation for the anti-piracy mission expires on March 31 this year. Several bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding (MOU) with Mozambique were signed during Zuma’s visit to Mozambique in December.
However, on Monday senior Navy personnel stated that SAS Isandlwana is due to return to South African waters shortly as the MoU between South Africa and Mozambique covering South Africa’s assistance in anti-piracy patrols was not yet in place and consequently the Navy will cease to operate in the Mozambican Channel until such time as the MoU had been signed.
This will impact on Exercise Good Hope V, the biennial joint exercise between the South African Navy, the South African Air Force and the German Navy which is due to commence in the Mozambique Channel at the end of February. Read more.
China’s fast-modernizing navy is stepping up training for anti-piracy patrols off the coast of Somalia in a sign of its growing long-term commitment to overseas missions - Washington Post.
The first two-week course for 84 leading officers began this week at the Naval Command College in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing, the website of the military newspaper Liberation Army Daily said Friday. The officers will run drills and discuss military theory and experiences from China’s previous anti-piracy missions, it said. Read more.
South Africa will host 32 member states of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and various international parties with interests in these waters when the third such event takes place in Cape Town in April 2012.
The South African Navy also assumes the chair of the IONS this year, a position it will hold for the next two years, says Biz Community.
Held every two years since 2008, the inaugural event took place in New Delhi, India, followed by the second in Abu Dhabi in 2010.
Vice-Admiral Refiloe Mudimu, the chief of the South African Navy, is expected to welcome about 30 of his peers, as well as coast guards and maritime agencies, while President Jacob Zuma will deliver the keynote address at the opening on 11 April.
"The objective of IONS 2012 is to promote constructive engagement and dialogue in order to enhance maritime security in the Indian Ocean and to promote areas of common interest and co-operation amongst member states," says navy spokesperson Commander Prince Tshabalala. Read more.
Fighting piracy - lecture from a NATO Officer: