Britain is poised to allow merchant ships formally to carry arms for the first time since the Second World War in a dramatic effort to tackle the escalating threat of international piracy.
The move is designed to protect British ships and curtail the growing unregulated market of private contractors offering armed protection, reports The Independent.
Danish Foreign Minister Lene Espersen said "As Danish foreign minister I encourage all governments and organisations to take part in the global struggle against piracy. "Denmark is currently chair of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia, bringing together more than 55 states and organisations and which met in Copenhagen this week for the eighth time - Expatica Germany.
"Prosecuting and detaining Somali pirates as well as eliminating impunity constitutes an important link of combating Somali pirates," Wang Min, deputy permanent representative of the Chinese mission to the UN said on Tuesday.
Wang made the remarks as he addressed a Security Council meeting on piracy off the Coast of Somalia. China supported the further elaboration by the international community on the issue of combating Somali pirates, he said. China also appreciated the willingness of Tanzania to establish Somali extraterrestrial specialized court. In the face of many challenges in setting up anti-piracy court within and beyond Somalia, China called on the international community to step up efforts, gradually overcome difficulties, and on the basis of respect for the willingness of Somalia to reach a most viable and effective solution to this problem, he noted - China Daily.
Parliamentary Quiz
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Maj Gen Howes
(Source: marchforhonour)
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As part of the UK's House of Commons Select Committee call for debate on Somali piracy, a number of witnesses were called forward to answer questions by the committee of cross-party Members of Parliament, notably Richard Ottoway (Chairman), Bob Ainsworth (Lab) and Rory Stewart (Con), also John Baron, Mike Gapes, Andrew Rosindell, Sir John Stanley and Dave Watts. Among the witnesses were Mark Brownrigg (British Chamber of Shipping), Andrew Voke (Chairman LMA), Marine lawyer, Stephen Askins (Ince & Co) and the EU's Operational Commander, Major General 'Buster' Howes.
An interesting number of points were raised. The insurance companies were paying out 'significantly' more in premiums to shipowners than they were receiving - $120 million - and additional insurance costs per transit ranges from $30,000 to $60,000. To reroute a large container vessel to avoid the pirates would cost between $185,000 to $300,000 says BCS Director-General, Brownrigg. Whilst LMA has no direct involvement with negotiations for the release of hijacked vessels, shipowners and other insurers bear the cost. Both organisations are signed up to supporting the Save Our Seafarers campaign. Rory Stewart, the Conservative MP, expressed astonishment that such little progress had been made against the pirates in the last 3 years, and questioned whether there was willing amongst the shipping industry.
The Marine lawyer (an ex-Royal Marine) Stephen Askins, received more personal scrutiny of his opinion in matters relating to piracy. When asked about the involvement of the UK Government and particularly the Foreign Office, it was stated that no direct contact was made. Although UK-flagged vessels had not been hijacked in the main, much of the ransom and release negotiations were below governmental level. It was predominantly a commercial interest, however, depending on the flag state, or the nationality of the crew involved in a hijack, other governments may take a different stance. Ultimately, the ransom drop could be seen as an humanitarian measure; "no other way but to pay." It is preferable to pay a ransom resulting in the release of the vessel and crew, on average between 70 - 80 days, than conducting commando raids on vessels at the risk of casualties. Despite the notable success in such operations by some nations. The citadel procedure is becoming more extensively used to protect the crew when attacked and possibly boarded, and is working well. However, there is a danger that the use of citadels may be accepted as a policy measure rather than implementing Best Management Practice; the key guidelines supported by industry and military alike.
Is prosecution of pirates a deterrent? Answered by Mr Askins and Major General Howes, the point was made that the policy of 'catch and release' policy was prevalent due, on the most part, to the potential for suspected pirates likelihood of pursuing asylum or immigration to the country prosecuting them in the first instance. The UK, it was highlighted, has "not prosecuted a single pirate". In terms of the EU naval forces, 87 percent of pirates captured have been released. The number of pirates convicted, globally, was estimated to be 130. Whether an international criminal court is to be established in Somalia or Oman, is another question. What is necessary, is international legal cooperation and investigation into the financial flow of ransom money. To date, no ransom money has been recovered, stated Mr Askins. He went on to say, when asked about the use of Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel (PCASP) on vessels, that it was "part of the evolution." Armed security is used, there are 'interim' guidelines from IMO, but it remains illegal to transport weapons. The EU Operations Commander stated that the EU does not currently endorse the use of PCASP, between 25 - 30 percent of ships are believed to be doing so, but are fully aware of their presence and the claim that no ship has been successfully hijacked whilst an armed security team was on board. BMP remains the primary focus but interaction with PCASPs is growing, and may well prove useful in the region so as to 'free up' naval assets to patrol elsewhere, as they prove to be an effective deterrent. Otherwise, a naval force of 83 warships with helicopter assets will be required to provide a 30-minute response time to any call in the area. The provision of maritime patrol aircraft is a vital aspect in surveillance of pirate activity. Five such assets would provide sufficient coverage.
The Committee asked whether the shipping industry was doing enough to support the counter piracy effort. The industry support of BMP was again stated but the fact that 10 percent of shipping transiting the region did not declare their presence made it more difficult for the naval forces to react, where possible. Shipping could do more by implementing the recommended measures, the use of the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor in the Gulf of Aden, but it was emphasized that the reporting of their (ships) presence would generate "better situational awareness" for the military in the Area Of Responsibility.
The effect that piracy has had, not just on Somalia, but also Kenya is exemplified by the statistic that during 2010, 53 cruise ships had visited the port of Mombasa, Kenya. This year, only 1 had made the journey, and that had been attacked!
As stated from all international quarters, the solution to the problem lies on land in Somalia. A stable state with rebuilt capacity is the altruistic goal. However, the piracy problem is more short-term. It would be unreasonable to expect a Somali Coastguard to conduct patrols out into the sea over a thousand miles away from their territorial waters, subsequently, the deep blue navy presence would still be required. The 'Tyranny of Distance' applies to pirates as well as the international navies. The question of resupply of fuel, water and food affects all. The pirates are simply more desperate once they encounter a vessel. Major General Howes claimed that there was "no strategic aim - no guiding principle," they are able to react to changing situations that much quicker than the military units who are governed by the Rules of Engagement (ROE) imposed by higher authorities, including by individuals navy-contributing nations. Motherships have proved highly effective for the pirates, which are easier to track, but it becomes more difficult as the hierarchy of vessels - from MV down to fishing vessel, dhow, whaler then skiff - is utilised. The frustration, the Major General underlined, is felt by the "1700 military sailors in the Indian Ocean - they are more frustrated than readers of the Sun (UK newspaper)," by the inability to be everywhere needed and to remove the threat of piracy.
Sophistication
“The returns obviously have been invested into more sophisticated equipment, that is automatic weapons including RPGs, satellite phones, navigation gear, and fast fiberglass boats nicknamed Volvos because of their high powered engines.” Peter Lehr, a lecturer in terrorism studies at Scotland’s University of St. Andrews. The men who call themselves Somali Coast guards also invest time on the World Wide Web tracking and gathering vital information. For example, the pirate financiers visit the Maritime Bureau Website to check what strategies have been put in place to curtail their activities. They in turn feed the gang. “We have read and came up with solutions to the Best Management Practices that are meant for ship masters to escape our trap. Whatever they come up with we will have a solution. It’s just like Medicine, when a disease crops up, doctors come up with a solution and we are the doctors in this case,” said Mohamed Hassan Abdi “Afweyne”, the founder of the Somali Piracy Network. Although this level of planning is contrary to the statement made by the EUNAVFOR Operations Commander to the UK Parliamentary Committee (see above).
Ransom Payment Uncertainty
The sentencing of a foreign security team to long jail terms for bringing $3.6 million into Somalia for pirates holding hijacked ships has raised questions over the future of ransom payments, and the safety of hundreds of hostages still being held. Somalia surprised everyone when it handed down the sentences against the men from Kenya-based security company Salama Fikira, who were nabbed in Mogadishu’s Aden Adde Airport as they transferred the cash to a plane designed to drop it for the pirates. However, according to the head of the Transitional Federal Government’s Anti-Piracy Task Force, Prof. Muhyadin Ali Yusuf, the shipping industry had better get used to a tough new position. “The Somali position on ransoms is clear; payment of this money has to be stopped through good strategy,” he told Somalia Report. “Piracy is a business and ransom encourages piracy. Stopping this payment is the best solution to stop piracy.”
But the consequences of abruptly stopping ransoms – or at least those that pass through Somali soil – could be deadly. Maritime officials say the seizure of ransoms will compel armed pirates to kill their hostages. “Somali pirates will fight to the finish if they don’t get payment,” one maritime official told Somalia Report. “The victims will always be the hostages they are holding.” Senior maritime officials say that ransom payments are a necessary evil until piracy can be dealt with. “Yes, ransom may be the reason behind the booming business of piracy; however, this is the only option available to the owners to secure the safe release of their crews, vessel and cargo,” Cyrus Mody, the manager of the London-based International Maritime Bureau (IMB), told Somalia Report.
Mody warned that if ransoms payments coming through Somalia were stopped, then owners would have to consider alternative methods of delivering money, which could prove more dangerous. A similar comment was stated by Stephen Askins in the UK Parlimentary Committee session (see above).
Maritime industry figures also say the fact the government is going to hold onto the $3.6 million (although Western diplomats believe a deal will be struck to release the six foreigners) is a worrying development, and could possibly encourage Puntland or Somaliland to see this as an easy source of income and start confiscating money.
And finally...
The European Union’s war against Somali pirates is set to escalate, with pirates soon to use deck-mounted machine guns in order to seize freight ships, writes Justin Stares in the Maritime Sun News. The simultaneous firing of all guns from one side of a ship is better associated with Horatio Nelson and the Napoleonic Wars but, within months, pirates will be firing broadsides from deck-mounted machine guns into freighters transiting the Indian Ocean.
This was the prediction of Lieutenant Colonel Andy Price, on assignment from the Royal Navy and currently executive officer with EUNAVFOR, the European Union’s anti-piracy force. "Broadsides," he told a conference in Brussels, "will be the result of a dangerous escalation in firepower."
Piracy events
Hijack:4 Unsuccessful Attacks (plus 1 time late approach and 1 not verified): - June 16 at 0800 UTC, in position 13:43.8N – 042:56.8E: around 42nm Northeast of Assab, Eritrea. Five armed pirates in a skiff approached a Gibraltar (UK)-flagged general cargo ship, Anna, underway. The onboard security team fired warning shots resulting in the pirates moving away (time late report).
- June 18 at 0319 UTC in position 08:24N - 076:42E, in the Indian Ocean, approximately 30nm Northwest of Trivandrum, India, a Panama-flagged chemical tanker, Pacific Marchioness, was chased by a single skiff. Anti-piracy measures were employed and a SSAS alert was sent. Shortly afterwards, a naval helicopter arrived on the scene.
- June 18 at 0334 UTC, in position 08:24N - 076:42E, in the Indian Ocean, approximately 15nm West of Trivandrum, India, 2 MVs were approached by 3 skiffs. Weapons were sighted by no shots were fired. 5-6 pirates in a skiff then chased the Marshall Island-flagged, Royal Diamond 7, which increased speed, carried out evasive manoeuvres, raised the alarm and implemented anti-piracy measures.
- June 21 at 1115 UTC, two MVs attacked by 3 skiffs in position 12:28.5N, 043:35E, in the Bab al Mandeb Strait, with 6 – 8 pirates in each skiff. 1 skiff approached from port side shortly followed by a skiff on the starboard side. At 0.5nm, the embarked security team fired a warning shot at the fast approaching skiff on port side, but it failed to respond and carried on towards MV at high speed. A warning shot was again fired at 0.4nm when it was confirmed weapons were seen. The skiff stopped its approach. The skiff making a starboard approach changed course and tried to attack another ship about 4nm astern. Both skiffs aborted attack on the first MV and pursued the following ship. During the duration of the incident, the duty officer and master on the bridge of the first MV alerted a warship in the vicintiy, roughly 10nm behind the approaches. The attack on the rear ship was abandoned as the warship closed to their position and all the skiffs dispersed.
- Unverified - Malta-flagged tanker, Damavand, attacked by 7 pirates in a skiff in positions 13:12.7N - 048:58.4E, in the Gulf of Aden. Anti-piracy measures implemented and a warship was requested to assist. Pirates abandoned the hijack attempt.
Suspect Pirate Activity:- Despite the onset of the south westerly monsoon with 5 metre high waves in the Arabian Sean and northern Somali Basin, the pirates seem to be most willing to continue to push the vessels to their limits by continuing to seek areas and targets of opportunity. Further attacks, consequently, cannot be discounted.
- The Red Sea and Bab al Mandeb Strait has seen increased activity due to the monsoon season, however, one PAG is assessed as operating in the area.
- It is believed that the pirate-held fishing vessel, FV Shiuh Fu No.1, having left anchorage off the Somali coast may, in conjunction with an unknown dhow, be active in the Somali Basin, according to NATO Shipping Centre.
At least 19 ships, minus the Danish yacht, ING, and an estimated 405 seafarers remain in the hands of pirates. 41 of the hostages, including the Danish hostages and crew from the MV Asphalt Venture and MV Orna, are being held on land or on board other vessels.
Vessels are reminded that the coalition forces' warships may not be in the vicinity of a pirate attack, subsequently, it is emphasised that seafarers can greatly reduce their chances of being pirated if they follow precautions as recommended in the
Best Management Practices, increasing speed and carrying out evasive manoeuvres is a proven deterrent to piracy attacks.
Vessels are advised to exercise extreme caution when navigating in the vicinity of any reported positions of attacks and maintain maximum CPA with any ship acting suspiciously. Additionally, registration of vessel movement with MSC(HOA) prior to transiting the region is recommended. OCEANUSLive.org permits the reproduction of this image providing source and link are published (Map ToU)
Any suspicious activity should be reported to UKMTO in Dubai in the first instance (UKMTO or Telephone+971 50 552 3215) and on entering the UKMTO Voluntary Reporting Area (VRA) bound by Suez, 78E and 10S.
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