Weekly Piracy Report

March 26, 2012 - 08:17:16 UTC

Banner

17 - 23 March 2012

Upping stakes: EU demonstrates intent by extending its mandate and permitting strikes on Somali soil. NATO op also extended as more pirates disrupted. EU considers pooling resources as USA to refocus European-facing policy. Puntland anti-piracy ops threaten pirates and begins 2nd round of recuits for maritime police. British hostage freed following ransom paid by her family but over 200 seafarers still held. Outlawing ransom payments warning. Attacks off Nigeria, Suez and Belize. Italy to try 9 pirates in its first such case and Somaliland law change permits prosecution of pirates. Benin and Nigeria have their risk status raised. Boom inmaritime security threatens manning in Royal Marines; back to the future approach with privateers. Floating armouries. What is the salary of a pirate? Maiden voyage sailors taken by pirates. New Save Our Seafarer Chairman. IMO New Media Officer leads the way. Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent joins Oceans Beyond Piracy.

East Africa

On March 17, in the Gulf of Aden, the Turkish Navy Ship (TCG) Giresun, acting as part of NATO’s counter-piracy (Operation OCEAN SHIELD), successfully disrupted a group of pirates suspected of having been involved in the attack of a merchant vessel in the area -OCEANUSLive.

Earlier that day, the NATO warship USS Arleigh Burke had received a distress call fromMV Trans Catalonia, which stated that she had been attacked by a skiff with armed pirates on board. According to the distress call, the pirates opened fire but aborted their attack when the merchant vessel’s armed security team returned fire in self-defence.

USS Arleigh Burke and TCG Giresun were immediately sent to the area to intercept the pirate group. On its way to the skiff's last known position, TCG Giresun launched its helicopter, which quickly spotted a skiff and was able to identify 7 pirates on board and boarding equipment. As soon as the pirates noticed the helicopter, they stopped and raised their hands over their heads.

Giresun then reached the scene and sent its boarding team to investigate the skiff. On completion of this successful disruption, the commander of the NATO counter-piracy task force, Admiral Sinan Tosun declared: “We are happy that NATO was able to prevent another act of piracy and to contribute to safer navigation in the Gulf of Aden”.

Officials from Somalia's semi-autonomous region of Puntland have claimed that "if necessary" they will launch a military attack on hijacked Ro/Ro vessel MV Leila and the pirates holding the ship. Minister Raage, Puntland's minister for sea transport, ports and counter-piracy, announced the decision on Monday, reports Somalia Report.

"Our plans are clear. First, we will contact the group of pirates and we will request that they release the ship without any conditions. If they refuse, we will use military force to free the ship, cargo and crew," Minister Raage told Somalia Report.

Prior to the statement, local businessmen and elders from Somaliland had arrived in Bosaso to discuss the issue, as they own much of the cargo on board the hijacked ship which was hijacked by pirates on February 15. The pirates are currently demanding $2 million for the release of the vessel.

Mr Raage added, "These businessmen don't offer much support to government efforts to defeat pirates, but they put a lot of pressure on us when pirates hijack one of their own vessels. Since Puntland-based pirates hijacked MV Leila, businessmen and elders from Somaliland have come to Puntland, and have applied pressure on us to help secure the release of the ship." Read more.

A Puntland government delegation led by Minister of Ports and Anti Piracy Saeed Mohamed Rage accompanied by UN delegation traveled to the coastal town of Eyl, Radio Garowe reports - Garowe Online.

The delegation arrived in Eyl Sunday morning and were welcomed by a huge crowd who gathered to watch as officials visited some sites in Eyl by foot. The coastal town was once a former pirate hub but after the crackdown on piracy by the Puntland government, pirates fled from Eyl and were also forced out in Gara’ad some 130 kms south of Eyl.

Minister Rage was accompanied by officials from the ministry of security, ministry of internal affairs, officials from UNODC, UNDP, UNDSS. The delegation met with district authorities, community leaders and different civil society members.

The purpose of the trip was to assess,observe and monitor the needs and progress of the community after successfully forcing out pirates from Eyl. Minister Rage and his delegation were assessing the progress of development projects that are being conducted in Eyl.

Minister Rage and his delegation visited the construction site of the Puntland Maritime Police Force’s (PMPF) base. Among other locations visited by the delegation was the local hospital, police station, district headquarters and neighboring villages near Eyl.

The PMPF have been constructing a headquarters in Eyl after entering the coastal town earlier this year.

Somali pirates have been unable to step into the sea to prey on merchant shipping lines in the Gulf of Aden due to the harsh conditions at sea, leading to a drop in the frequency of attacks, naval sources have revealed - Afrique en Ligne.

In readiness for an upsurge in the number of attacks, the European Union (EU) Naval Taskforce (EUNAVFOR) deployed in the region at the peak of the pirate attacks, is planning to double the number of warships by May to deal with the extra-threat.

“The Monsoon winds is the first counter-piracy asset we have at our disposal,” a senior Commander with the EUNAVFOR, who wished to remain unnamed, said. “In April, when there is no Monsoon, the sea would be like a swimming pool,” he added.

The swimming pool-like conditions at sea enable the pirates to flock back to sea, relying on an array of tools, including high capacity motors to power their small boats and automatic weapon firepower, to prey on merchant vessels.

“We have a distribution of ships along the coast to keep the pirates in the seaside,” said Rear Admiral Jorge Manso, the EUNAVFOR Force Commander. “We ensure the piracy action groups do not go to sea, but they always come to sea.”

Although the military operation is leading to a reduction in the pace of piracy attacks, the lack of courts in Somalia to lock up the suspects is a drawback to the operation.

“They are always kept for a period of time to recover their operations at sea. This is part of the deterents,” Rear Admiral Manso said when asked about the system of arresting and freeing pirates when no governments would take them for prosecution.

“We have taken pirates in some ships,” said Lieutenant Alvaro Huelin of the EUNAVFOR, talking about 11 pirates the force seized after the German warship, Berlin, foiled an attack off the coast of Somalia.

Lt. Huelin said during regular anti-piracy patrols, the marines particularly watched out for weapons, big motors, usually one or two powerful motors on a single small boat.

“This is the evidence we require to guarantee a prosecution,” Lt. Huelin, whose naval vessel, SPS Patino, recently seized 15 Somali pirates after a gun battle off the coast Mogadishu, after escorting a shipment of supplies meant for African forces. Read more.

According to Norwegian company Seatrans AS, which is managing the ship, armed security guards on board the ship managed to avert Friday’s attack in a retaliatory action -The Foreigner (Norway).

Press spokesperson Tom Atle Pedersen told Bergensavisen the vessel sustained no apparent damage, and, “The crew is fine. No one was hurt in any way. The episode lasted for a relatively short time before it was over.”

The Singapore-registered 20 000 ton chemical tanker ‘Trans Catalonia’ is currently on a voyage from Indonesia to Russia loaded with palm oil.

In addition to the guards, the 20 crew are from Sweden, Poland and Romania - See Piracy Incidents below.

The Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) received a second group of recruits that will be trained to deter, detect and eradicate piracy in the region, reports Garowe Online.

More than 400 volunteers were recruited throughout the Puntland, representing all clans, and assembled over the period 25-29 February 2012 in Puntland's capital city, Garowe. The recruits went through vetting and medical screening and additional intake procedures.

Several senior and junior officers and non-commissioned officers of the Puntland Security Force (PSF) also were selected to accompany the new recruits during their training and will form part of the core leadership for future training and anti-piracy operations.

On March 2nd, a large vehicle convoy arrived with the recruits at the home base facility where Puntland officials and PMPF leadership welcomed them.

Puntland President Abdirahman Mohamed Mohamud (Farole) welcomed the recruits with the statement, “I am very proud on the people of Puntland that they could deliver these recruits, who will form the first intake for 2012.” Read more.

West Africa

The IBF (International Bargaining Forum) is declaring a high risk area for the territorial waters of Benin and Nigeria, following the increasing number of attacks on vessels and kidnap of crews there - Neptune Maritime Security. The designation will come into effect on 1st April 2012 in order to allow ship operators to make any necessary preparations. It will afford the same benefits and protections to seafarers in those areas as the High Risk Area in the Gulf of Aden and around Somalia, including: the need for enhanced security measures; advance notice of intent to enter the area; the right to refuse to enter it; and a doubling of the daily basic wage and of death and disability compensation while within the area of risk.

The High Risk Area provisions apply to all ships operated under an IBF agreement. The ITF’s Fair Practices Committee Steering Group will decide on whether to also apply them to all ships under non-IBF ITF agreements. IBF agreements on high risk areas also provide an indicator of good practice to national flag registers. The provisions are set out in full HERE.

Suez

Egypt's National Security Service has foiled a planned attack against a foreign vessel in the Suez Canal, the MENA news agency reported - Manorama Online.

Officers detained two suspects -- residents of the Ismailia region. One of them planned an attack on a vessel passing through the canal from a land plot he owned on the coast.

The agency said the suspects intended to "inflict damage upon the state's economy".

The Suez Canal linking the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea is a key source of funding for Egypt's budget. The country receives around $5 billion annually in levies for the passage of vessels.

Despite political instability in Egypt since the Hosni Mubarak regime was deposed in February 2011, the canal has operated normally. Around 50 ships pass through the canal daily.

South America

Piracy, the woeful, uncouth act upon rogue vessels sailing and pillaging our Belizean waters, is now becoming more and more frequent, but a gang of 4 armed pirates took those types of misdeeds to another, altogether more frightening level - Belize Times.

Police are currently investigating yet another case of piracy. Details about this heinous incident remain elusive at this time and Police won’t even confirm that the incident actually happened. But it did happen, and here’s what is known thus far: 4 men, all of dark complexion, boarded a catamaran known as the ‘S.K. Abenga’, charted from a company known as the Mooring Charter Company which operates out of the Southern part of the country. The vessel, which was ‘lazing’ somewhere between Tobacco Caye and Pelican Caye, was intercepted by the 4 men, who came from an unknown direction, and then boarded, with the immediate intent to seize their valuables.

It remains a mystery as to how many people were officially on board, with estimates suggesting 8 tourists, all deemed to be American citizens. But they were all later attacked, and sustained various injuries, with one of the women onboard, supposedly a 61-year-old, assaulted by one of the pirates. They were then taken to a dock yard in Placencia, and left there. The tourists then found a local hotel, where they are currently ‘holed up’, and were treated for their injuries at the Western Regional Hospital in Dangriga.

And while it is unusual that the Police, and not the National Coast Guard, are investigating, it is a priority at this time in order to forestall a growing international incident that is sure to follow.

Judith Tebbutt has been freed by her captors, seven months after she was kidnapped from a beach in Kenya - ITV.com.

During the raid her husband David was killed. She was taken in September last year while staying at the Kiwayu Safari Village near the Kenya Somali border.

"I'm very relieved to have been released. Seven months is a long time and under the circumstances, with my husband passing away, made it harder.

I'm looking forward to seeing my son who successfully secured my release, I don't know how he did it, but he did." – Judith Tebbutt on her release.

It is understood that her family paid a ransom for her release.

Somaliland is now officially in the fight against piracy in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden after president Silanyo signed two laws, writes Somaliland Sun.

President Silanyo formally legitimized the country's war on piracy after he signed two laws pertinent to Anti-piracy and pirate exchange.

A presidential decree # JSL/M/XERM/249-988/032012 stated that President Silanyo has officially signed Piracy law # Xeer Lr. 52/2012 thus legitimizing Somaliland's participation in the international concerted war on Piracy.

The same decree also divulged that pirates exchange has been legitimized after the president signed law # Xeer Lr. 53/2012. This formally allows Somaliland to receive pirates sentenced in other countries for imprisonment in its prisons. Read more.

The Republic of Seychelles this month accepted and agreed to try 15 suspected Somali pirates who were detained after they had seized an Iranian fishing boat - Voice of America.

Since armed criminal gangs began attacking and hijacking ships in great numbers off the Horn of Africa more than four years ago, the United States has banded together with dozens of nations to combat piracy. International Naval patrols are safeguarding the shipping lanes of the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean, which are among the busiest in the world, while the United States is working with a broad range of diplomatic partners to stem piracy originating from northeastern Somalia.

With the capture of those suspected of such attacks at sea, the United States has also worked with regional and affected states to find an appropriate venue for prosecution of the suspects. As a result of this cooperation, more than 20 countries have joined in the effort to bring pirates to justice.

In the latest example of such cooperation, the Republic of Seychelles this month accepted and agreed to try 15 suspected Somali pirates who were detained by U.S. Navy personnel in January after they had seized an Iranian fishing boat, the Al Molai, and held its 13-member crew hostage for more than a month. Several pirates in this group also attempted to attack a cargo ship, MV Sunshine, that same day. Read more.

The first international trial of Somali pirates starts Friday in the Italian capital. 9 pirates shall be standing trial, accused of seizing on October 10 last year in Gulf of Aden a merchant ship "Montecristo." - The Voice of America

The cargo vessel with 23 crew members - citizens of Italy, India and Ukraine - was released a week later as a result of an operation by British naval commandos.

15 people were arrested - 13 Somalis, including four juveniles and two Pakistanis. All of them were taken to Rome, where at the decision of the preliminary investigation, the Pakistanis were released. The case of the Somali minors was transferred to a special court.

Prosecutors have filed charges of seizure and damage to a vessel of a foreign state, illegal possession of weapons. Also, the prosecution argues that the pirate activity was aimed at financing of terrorism.

The attorney of the 6 defendants Douglas Duale will argue that his clients are not pirates, but fishermen, who were also the criminals’ hostages. According to them, the Pakistanis were part of a criminal group. If convicted, the Somalis are facing significant time in prison.

In recent years, there have been increased instances of pirate attacks on international trade vessels in the Indian Ocean, especially off the coast of the Horn of Africa. All ships passing through the dangerous sea routes are accompanied by armed guards.

A boom in recruitment by security firms guarding ships against Somali pirates has caused a stream of troops to leave elite units for lucrative contracts in the private sector -Sky News.

The loss of veterans of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, particularly corporals and sergeants, "rips the skeleton" from the bodies of units like the Royal Marines and Parachute Regiment, the commander of 3 Commando during the Falklands War, Julian Thompson, has warned.

According to Ministry of Defence figures, 570 Royal Marines and 170 members of 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Parachute Regiment left the forces between 2009 and 2011.

Even though the figure for the marines includes those who were medically discharged, the rate at which elite soldiers from both units have been leaving is around double the average.

Among the Marines, the MoD admitted, the bulk of those leaving voluntarily were senior privates, corporals and sergeants. These non-commissioned officers lead sections of around eight men, or platoons of around 30. They are responsible for life-and-death tactical decisions during fighting.

No definite data is available on what soldiers do when they leave the services but senior officers have been deeply concerned about the losses of experienced troops to the private security companies for more than a year. Read more.

If you follow maritime news in even the most cursory fashion you're likely aware that, due to attacks by Somali pirates, that private security companies are increasingly involved in protecting commercial shipping against pirates. That in itself is not news, writes David Isenberg for Huffington Post.

But current efforts are still embryonic. Despite the rush of companies into the briny blue to win contracts, the drafting of standards by their use, and the acceptance of at least some governments to their use, the utilization of PSC is still largely the result of an agreement between a maritime shipper and a PSC.

But that is sort of a maritime beggar they neighbor policy. It works okay for the leading shippers who have money to spend on security but not so well for those who don't. It is similar to the old joke about the justice system: "Capital justice is for them who have the capital."

But can PSC do even more? The answer is yes, according to Todd Hutchins, a U.S. naval Surface Warfare Officer. Last year his article "Structuring a Sustainable Letters of Marque Regime: How Commissioning Privateers Can Defeat the Somali Pirates" was published in the California Law Review.

His premise is that piracy is a complex problem that threatens maritime safety and interferes with global commerce. Today, despite costly naval interventions, Somali pirates viciously attack seafarers across expansive stretches of the Indian Ocean. Powerful nations from around the globe have been unsuccessful at stemming the problem because they have focused on capturing and prosecuting a relatively small number of seagoing pirates, while allowing pirate networks to operate with near impunity. To prevent future attacks, an effective and sustainable deterrence regime must be implemented to target the financiers and sophisticated kingpins who lead pirate networks.

What is his solution? In a Back to the Future approach he wants to use a classic solution -- privateers. Read more.

Private security firms are storing their guns aboard floating armories in international waters so ships that want armed anti-piracy guards for East Africa's pirate-infested waters can cut costs and circumvent laws limiting the import and export of weapons, industry officials say, according to AP News.

Companies and legal experts say the operation of the armories is a "legal gray area" because few, if any, governments have laws governing the practice. Some security companies have simply not informed the governments of the flag their ship is flying, industry officials said.

Some members of the private security sector are urging governments and industry leaders to impose standards on the unchecked practice of storing weapons offshore to equip anti-pirate forces off Somalia's coast.

Storing guns on boats offshore really took off as a business last year. Britain — where many of the operators are from — is investigating the legality of the practice, which has received little publicity outside of shipping industry circles.

Floating armories have become a viable business in the wake of increased security practices by the maritime industry, which has struggled for years to combat attacks by Somali pirates. But those in the industry say the standards vary widely.

Governments and industry leaders "need to urgently address standards for floating armories and get flag state approval," said Nick Davis of the Maritime Guard Group "Everything has got to be secured correctly, recorded, bonded, the correct locks, and so on. It's not just a case of find a room, put some weapons in it and everybody chill out."

Some floating armories did not have proper storage for weapons, enough watchmen, or enough space for guards to sleep indoors, forcing them to sleep on deck, he said.

In the absence of applicable laws, he said, "companies are just being economical with the truth." Read more.

The International Association Maritime Security Professionals and the African Maritime Safety and Security Agency (AMSSA) [today] signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), harmonizing their efforts to assist in the development of a safe, sustainable and environmentally sound mairitme transportation system (MTS) in Africa, IAMSPannounced.

IAMSP, through this MOU, gains direct access to a number of AMSSA efforts and initiatives. AMSSA will receive support from IAMSP in its ongoing efforts at levels ranging from the IMO to training at the local level. The MOU has specific provisions allowing the sharing of information, expertise and efforts both on the ground in Africa and at international plenary groups. Read more.

The European Union authorised its navies to strike Somali pirate equipment on land as foreign ministers on Friday beefed up the anti-piracy mission and extended it until December 2014 - AFP.

The EU's Operation Atalanta has deployed between five and 10 warships off the Somali coast since 2008 to escort humanitarian aid shipments and thwart pirate raids on commercial vessels using vital shipping lanes.

Foreign ministers meeting in Brussels agreed to extend "the force's area of operations to include Somali coastal territory as well as its territorial and internal waters," said an EU statement.

The new mandate will allow warships or helicopters to fire at fuel barrels, boats, trucks or other equipment stowed away on beaches, an EU official said on condition of anonymity.

"Piracy has caused so much misery to the Somali people and to the crews of ships transiting the area and it is right that we continue to move forward in our efforts," said Rear Admiral Duncan Potts, Atalanta's operational commander.

EU officials insisted that no ground troops would be deployed and that missiles would be launched from the sea.

"The EU plan is to allow attacks on land installations when ships are assaulted at sea," Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo told reporters, adding that "much care" would be taken to avoid civilian deaths.

Spain and Germany had voiced reservations about allowing strikes on pirate lairs, but they lifted their objections this week. Read more.

NATO agreed Monday to extend its anti-piracy mission off the coast of Somalia until the end of 2014, stressing that foreign navies are helping to reduce the number of hijackings, AFP reported - Focus Information Agency.

Operation Ocean Shield, which currently has four warships at sea, has patrolled the Horn of Africa, acted to disrupt armed robberies on the high seas and escorted UN ships bringing aid to Mogadishu since 2008.

The international efforts are "making a difference, with the number of successful pirate hijacking down significantly in 2012," NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen wrote on Twitter.

"Our message to the pirates is clear, your ability to threaten shipping is diminishing and NATO resolve is not going away," he said, announcing that NATO's decision-making body, the North Atlantic Council, extended the mission.

The European Union, which has deployed its own counter-piracy operation, will consider this week whether to allow its warships to fire at trucks, supplies, boats and fuel stocked by pirates on the beaches.

NATO, however, has decided to continue limiting its mission to sea operations.

Japan is studying a plan to provide Yemen patrol boats for free to help with efforts to fight piracy off Somalia. Japan's government is considering the transfer as part of official development assistance aimed at building peace, Japan's (NHK WORLD) reportedBahrain News Agency.

Yemen is located across the Gulf of Aden from Somalia. The government plans to send officials to the Middle East nation to discuss the timing of the transfer after the country's security situation becomes stable. The plan to offer patrol boats to Yemen has emerged after Japan effectively eased its ban on exporting arms late last year. The only case in which Japan has so far offered patrol boats to a foreign country was in 2007, when three vessels were given to Indonesia in an exception to the export ban.

The Chief of the South African Navy on Saturday said they had minimised the threat of Somali piracy off the coast of Mozambique, according to Eyewitness News.

The SA Navy signed agreements with Mozambique and Tanzania to protect their coastlines.

However, there are still concerns piracy may spread southwards, with reports that it had already hit the Seychelles.

SA Navy Chief Refiloe Mudimu said they put together a plan under the watchful eye of the Southern African Development Community (Sadec).

“The maritime security strategy deals with the entire Sadec region. Recently we met in Durban, we looked at how we were going to implement the recently approved maritime strategy."

Mudimu said they were keeping the pirates at bay.

“The result of Operation Copper has ensured that Mozambican fishermen can go back to sea to conduct their normal business.”

The Union Minister of Shipping, Shri G.K. Vasan informed the Lok Sabha today in a written reply to a question that no Indian Merchant Ship has been hijacked during the last three years - World Maritime News.

The Minister further stated that the Government has initiated various preventive / mitigating security measures for combating piracy which include the following:

- An Inter-Ministerial Group of Officers (IMGO) has been set up to deal with hostage situation arising out of the hijacking of merchant vessels with Indian crew on board.

- Issuance of Notices by Director General of Shipping detailing elaborate anti-piracy measures (Best Management Practices) including safe house/citadel.

- Banning of sailing vessels to ply in waters south or west of the line joining Salalah and Male vide M.S. Notice 3/2010 dated 31/3/2010.

- Naval escort provided by Indian Naval Ships in Gulf of Aden.

- Enhanced vigil by Indian Navy in Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and estward up to 65 degree east longitude.

- Active participation in International Maritime Organization and Contact Group on Piracy off the coast of Somalia (CGPCS) and other international forums.

- Submission of Document 27/9/1 at the IMO Assembly for flag states to provide information on welfare of captive crew, efforts of release and also on continued payment of their wages.

India, China and Japan recently agreed for better coordination among their naval ships deployed for escort of merchant vessels in the piracy-infested Gulf of Aden, the Lok Sabha was informed on Monday - Zee News via Neptune Maritime Security.

In a written reply to a question in the Lower House, Defence Minister A K Antony said, "India, China and Japan have recently agreed for better coordination among their naval ships deployed for escort of merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden."

Denying that the government has plans to sign pacts with neighbouring countries to counter militant activities and check piracy, Antony said, "Nevertheless, the security and surveillance apparatus for coastal defence has been enhanced over the years."

Strengthening of coastal security apparatus is an ongoing process considering the needs and changing security scenario as well as the threat perception, he added. Read more.

Military and civilian maritime professionals from West Africa, Europe, and the United States have finalized a challenging training agenda for exercise Saharan Express 2012, says Defence Professionals.

Last week’s final planning conference at the Counternarcotics and Maritime Security (COSMAR) interagency operations center culminates previous months of close coordination to plan complex maritime interdiction operation (MIO) scenarios to be executed during the exercise.

"We live in a world that is confronted with many problems like piracy, drug trafficking, terrorism, organized crime," said Colonel Alberto Ferdandes, chief of staff, Cape Verde armed forces. "It's necessary for each of us to find a solution to respond to these problems in an efficient manner, we need to have a communal response and it is important that we are all prepared so we can produce a unified action." Read more.

Now is the time to tighten pressure and work with Somalis when it comes to the piracy occurring in the Horn of Africa, Operation commander of the EU Naval Force Admiral Duncan Potts said on 20 March at a saubcommittee on security and defence - New Europe.

The European Union Naval Force Somalia - Operation ATALANTA - is working closely with Somali authorities, and whatever action it takes must not undermine others coalitions dealing with Somalia piracy, such as NATO.

“We have made good progress at containing piracy,” Potts said. “We must move forward.”

Potts characterised 2011 as a "year of two halves". Up until May, 28 vessels had been pirated, but throughout the second half of the year, only three vessels fell victim. Today, pirates have 213 hostages from eight ships, with mostly children taken hostage.

However, pirates are criminals of opportunity, Potts said. For example, they inadvertently attacked two warships only to find themselves overwhelmed.

European Union defense ministers on Thursday considered pooling their military resources in response to falling defense budgets and a U.S decision to refocus its strategy on regions beyond Europe.

A ministerial meeting on Thursday also reviewed current EU operations, including the naval mission off the Somali coastline, the military training program for Somalia's nascent army, and the peacekeeping operation in Bosnia.

The EU's 27 governments still spend about €200 billion ($265 billion) on defense annually — only the United States spends more. But the fragmentation of military commands and defense industries has made it almost impossible to achieve economies of scale in purchasing military equipment.

Military spending, which has already shrunk 15 percent in the past decade, is set to plunge further as part of the austerity measures implemented by many European governments to cope with the continent's debt crisis.

Complicating matters further for Europe's defense planners, the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama has announced a new military strategy that includes a shift away from the Cold War-era focus on Europe. Instead, U.S. military capabilities will in the future concentrate on Asian security risks such as China and North Korea, and build on partnerships in the Middle East to keep an eye on Iran.

Officials said the EU defense ministers were expected to approve recommendations prepared by the EU's European Defense Agency on joint initiatives in areas such as air-to-air refueling, medical units and logistic support. Read more.

Johnny Depp has a lot to answer for. The "mockney" drawl, the swagger and the healthy disdain for maritime authorities he perfected as Captain Jack Sparrow lent a cachet to piracy that had eluded the profession for centuries - The National.

Don't get me wrong, pirates have always been cool, but not Johnny Depp cool. It is surely no coincidence then that from 2003, when the first Pirates of The Caribbean movie hit the big screen, the incidence of piracy in the Gulf of Aden began to chart a swift northerly course.

More recently, the prolonged global economic downturn has dispensed with many of the other employment opportunities for Somali men living by the coast - not that there were that many prospects in the first place - further adding to the allure of the pirate's trade.

You can make a good living as a Somali pirate.

According to the latest data, the average annual earnings for your modern day buccaneer range from US$33,000 (Dh121,000) to $79,000 a year. That's an almost identical salary spread as for elementary schoolteachers in New York City, according tosalary.com.

And having lived a block away from a New York City elementary school I would venture that Gulf of Aden pirate is probably a far safer career option.

What is more, given the comparable cost of living in Somalia, such a salary would afford any pirate a lifestyle far beyond the reach of the staff at Public School 151. In Somali society the pirate's buying power would be more akin to a Wall Street banker or an Upper East Side dentist.

The average annual earnings for non-pirate workers on the Somali coast, such as fishermen or animal herders, run at just $500 a year, which gives you an idea of just how much a pirate is really worth.

With such a boom in boarding ships it is no surprise that potential lifetime earnings for your average pirate are also pretty high. The latest data show that a pirate can expect to earn $168,000 to $394,000 over his working life, which means the average length of a career from day one to retirement for a pirate is just a little more than five years. That's certainly preferable to the 30 to 40 years most of us spend behind a desk. Read more.

The release of Judith Tebbutt may be fantastic news for her friends and family, but it sheds awkward light on the government's attitude towards paying ransoms for hostages, says The Guardian.

The official line is: don't do it.

Last month, David Cameron reinforced this position during the London Conference on Somalia, telling delegates during his keynote address that it was time to bring the practice to an end.

"Let's create an international taskforce on ransoms," he said. "And let's set the ultimate ambition of stopping these payments because in the end they only ensure that crime pays."

The US has been even more explicit. In a speech last year, Andrew Shapiro, a senior official in the state department, said: "A vicious cycle has formed where ever-rising ransom payments have not just spurred additional pirate activity but have also enabled pirates to increase their operational capabilities and sophistication. Piracy has gone from a fairly ad-hoc disorganised criminal endeavour to a highly developed transnational criminal enterprise."

This stance has infuriated international shipping companies who argue that the consequences of not paying are too terrible to contemplate – both for the hostages themselves, and for trade on the high seas.

The unspoken truth is these payments are so ingrained into the business of piracy, it will be difficult to stop them in the short term. Read more.

Two youths from Kerala are suspected to be among the 22 sailors held captive by Somalian pirates on board a UAE chemical oil tanker, MT Royal Grace, on March 2, comments Deccan Chronicle.

The two are Dipin Devis, 22, of Erangattu Parambil at Mapranam and Stalin Vincent, 21, of Mangalath in Thelappilly near Irinjalakkuda in Thrissur. The parents of the sailors have filed a complaint with the state administration.

“We came to know about this incident from his friends,” said Ms Shaija, mother of Dipin. “My son’s friends told me that the ship was hijacked by pirates. When contacted, the shipping company

refused to say anything,” she said.

It was Dipin’s first trip on board the ship. After completing his G.P writing course successfully, he went to Dubai on January 29, and joined the Oasis cargo and shipping company there with the help of an agent in Kochi.

“He used to call us at least once in a week” says Shaija. “His last call was on February 28, when he was leaving for Nigeria and said he would call us after 45 days. I hope my son is safe,” Shyja says.

Alastair Evitt, President of InterManager and Managing Director of Meridian Marine Management Ltd, has been appointed chairman of the Save Our Seafarers campaign -Shiptalk.

Mr Evitt, who was previously SOS vice chairman, succeeds Giles Heimann who is stepping down to concentrate on his role as Secretary General of the International Maritime Employers’ Committee Ltd

Save Our Seafarers (SOS) was launched in March 2011. It is calling for unified action to raise awareness of the human and economic cost of Somali piracy, and for greater political will to be shown by governments in their actions on this critical issue. The internationally important campaign has gained support across more than 190 countries worldwide.

Through its internationally-recognised website, SOS provides up to date information and resources which highlight the effect of international pirate activity on the shipping industry, particularly the world’s seafarers who risk robbery, captivity and even death. Read more.

Nautilus International has warned that seafarers will pay with their lives if governments outlaw the payment of ransoms to pirates.

General secretary Mark Dickinson has written to prime minister David Cameron expressing concern about plans to create an international taskforce ‘to discourage the payment of ransoms to pirates and other groups to eliminate the profit motive and prevent the illicit flow of money and its corrosive effects’.

Nautilus fears that any attempt to make the payment of ransoms illegal would jeopardise the safety of seafarers held captive.

The taskforce was announced by the PM during a recent international conference on Somalia. The government says the task force will bring together experts from across the world to better understand the ransom business cycle and how to break it.

But the Union is concerned at signs of a concerted attempt by the UK and the US to prevent ransoms from being paid. Mr Dickinson said owners had no option but to pay to ensure the safe return of seafarers.

‘To consider that ransom payments should be prohibited or discouraged is deplorable – seafarers will pay with their lives and shipping companies will pay on their balance sheets,’ he added. ‘At no stage has any minister provided us with the requested assurances or information on what the alternative to non-payment of ransoms would be.’

A Briton seized in a raid in Kenya, in which her husband was killed, has been freed after six months held in Somalia - BBC News.

Judith Tebbutt, 56, from Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, was flown to Nairobi after her family paid the pirates a ransom for her release.

She said she was "very relieved" to be free and looking forward to seeing her "fantastic" son Oliver.

Her husband David, 58, was shot by a gang of six men at their remote holiday resort in Kiwayu, north of Lamu island.

Mrs Tebbutt, a social worker, who is believed to be deaf and was wearing a double hearing aid, said: "I'm very relieved to have been released. Seven months is a long time. Under the circumstances, with my husband passing away, it made it harder.

Martin Plau, BBC World Service Africa Editor states, There will be enormous relief at the release of Judith Tebbutt after her terrible ordeal.

Her family were able to raise a ransom to pay for her freedom. But this should not obscure the fact that some 230 people are still being held in Somalia - most by pirates.

The majority will have been captured from merchant vessels and many are from third world countries and receive almost no publicity.

Others, like the South African couple, Bruno Pelizzari and Debbie Calitz, were captured by pirates in October 2010 and could not afford the $4m being asked for their release.

Some hostages have been freed by US special forces - but these operations can go badly wrong.

Attempts to rescue a British and Italian hostage in Nigeria earlier this month ended with both being killed.

Rick Blears of Save Our Seafarers, the global anti-Somali piracy campaign, said that "any move at government level to ban the payment of ransoms to pirates, as US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton proposes, would have a massively detrimental effect and put the lives of hostages at grave risk". Read more.
In the Daily Mail, a senior Conservative MP has criticised Judith Tebbutt’s family for paying a ransom to Somali pirates for her release.

Former shadow home secretary David Davis said the £600,000 payment would encourage kidnappers.

‘I feel great pain and agony for the family involved,’ he said. ‘But when you pay a ransom, you get one person back, but you hold up the prospect of another ten being kidnapped later.’ Read more.

The Department of Foreign Affiars (DFA) said Philippine officials are working for the safe release of three Filipino sailors who were abducted by Yemeni tribesmen on Tuesday to demand for the release of a jailed colleague - GMA News.

"Our cisis management [team] in Sanaa, Yemen is getting in touch with Yemen authorities (Ministry of Foreign affairs, Ministry of Interior and Maritime Security) Philippine honorary consul in Marib, their employer, and Filipino leaders to verify the report and ascertain their identities," DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said in a text message on Friday.

"Our team will meet with concerned government officials to ensure the safe and early release of the hostages," he added.

A report of the news site Khaleej Times on Thursday said the sailors were seized as they were about to embark on their ship at a port in the far-eastern province of Mahrah.

The kidnappers, who belong to the Bani Jabr tribe, demanded the “release of one of their own, who is in prison in Sanaa for a serious criminal offense,” the interior ministry of Yemen said.

No details were provided yet about the identity of the sailors nor about the company they are working for.

The report said the Filipinos were forced to travel by land as a sand storm cancelled flights.

The interior ministry said security forces were ordered to “quickly free the hostages and arrest their kidnappers.” Read more.

Listening to social media chatter may help seafarers understand piracy better, says a UK risk consultancy which found itself trending on Twitter recently, writes Nautilus International.

Intelligence director at Rubicon Resolution said paying attention to information in social media chatter as well as other mediums could aid shipping companies and seafarers in the battle on piracy.

The consultancy found itself at the centre of a flurry of activity from global tweeters enthusiastically re-broadcasting the generalised message that pirates can be tracked by their tweets.

Maritime professionals were left bemused, when CNN ran a story - later recommended nearly 600 times - which claimed shipping companies might have a new tool to track bandits as 'pirates like to tweet'. It highlighted the work of the company, which provides risk consultancy across multiple sectors, including the maritime sector.

As on any grapevine - digital or otherwise, it was not quite the whole story. Read more.

Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent KCB, CBE, formerly of the Royal Navy and current director of Orchard Leadership, has joined the Oceans Beyond Piracy project as a Senior Fellow. Read more at OCEANUSLive.
Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent spent 37 years in the British Royal Navy after achieving a Master’s Degree at Cambridge University in Mathematics and Operational Research. He left the Royal Navy in 2008 having commanded in every rank up to four-star Admiral, concluding his career as as Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet. He was knighted in 2004. He is a graduate of the Greenwich Joint Services Defence College, an alumnus of the UK Cabinet Office Top Management Programme and an Honorary Fellow of Corpus Christi College Cambridge.

Maritime organisations have gleaned a useful insight from their UN maritime regulatory body on the importance of not closing social media channels even in a crisis, commentsNautilus International.

New media officer at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Karine Langlois (right), said the Costa Concordia grounding showed the normally publicity-shy shipping industry the speed with which the world expected ‘contextualised information’ it could trust from sources other than traditional journalism.

While the IMO could not give an opinion on the cruiseship sinking until the results of the official enquiry were known, it had engaged with its audience by ‘tweeting’ condolences, and providing other relevant updates — such as information on the new Passenger Safety item for the Maritime Safety Committee, announced in February, she said.

Strong digital strategies had enabled it to continue using many types of new media as an opportunity to engage, even in a crisis, said Ms Langlois during a debate on the role of new media for shipping. Read more. [OCEANUSLive attended the debate for shipping on the opportunities and threats in an online information boom which was organised by UK-based global maritime consultancy Blue Comms].

Hijacks:

Gulf of Aden - LATE Report | Armed pirates attacked a Yemen-flagged dhow,Ghazal Howlf, underway enroute from Mukalla to Socotra Island on 2 Mar in position 12:56N - 049:10E, around 95nm South of Mukalla, Yemen, Gulf of Aden. The pirates took six crewmembers hostage and hijacked the dhow to Somalia. Reported via IMB.

Unsuccessful Attacks/Robberies (All regions):

West Africa - LATE Report | One robber armed with a knife boarded an anchored Panama-flagged Offshore Supply ship, Geo Endeavour, at 2030 LT: in position 04:54.0N – 001:42.5W, Takoradi Outer Anchorage, Ghana. A crew member approached the robber from behind and received injuries. The alarm was raised and the crew mustered. Upon hearing the alarm, the robber escaped empty handed. First aid was applied to the injured crewmember. Coast guard and port authorities were informed. Reported (via IMB) 4 Mar.
Gulf of Aden - Singapore-flagged product tanker, MV Trans Catalonia, came under attack at 0626 UTC in position 13:09N - 048:45E, approximately 51nm SSW of Al Mukalla, Yemen. Reported 17 Mar. A skiff was noticed approaching the vessel. The D/O raised the alarm, informed the Master and security team. The Master increased speed, altered course and contacted a warship in the vicinity for assistance. About 5-6 pirates armed with guns and RPG in the skiff closed to 4-5 cables and fired upon the tanker. The onboard armed security team returned fire resulting in the pirates aborting the attack and moving away. A warship dispatched a helicopter to the location. No injuries to crew or damage to the ship. See report.
West Africa - Robbers boarded an anchored Singapore LPG tanker, Maersk Harmony, during heavy rain and inbetween security rounds between 2200-2250 LT: in position 05:13N - 004:02W, Abidjan Anchorage, Ivory Coast. They stole ship stores and escaped. The theft was noticed during the next security round by the duty A/B. Port control and ships in the vicinity informed. Reported (via IMB) 17 Mar.
Somalia Basin - MV attacked by single skiff at 1120 UTC in position 05:47N - 053:50E, approx 240nm off central Somalia coast. The vessel evaded the hijack attempt. The PAG remains operational in the area. Reported (via NSC) 17 Mar.
South China Sea - Three robbers boarded an anchored Liberia-flagged bulk carrier, INA-Lotte, at 2130 LT: in position 01:18S - 116:47E, Balikpapan Inner Anchorage, Indonesia. They broke into the forward store and stole ship stores. Duty A/B and 3/E spotted the robbers and raised the alarm. Upon hearing the alarm, the robbers escaped in their waiting boat. Port authorities informed. Reported (via IMB) 18 Mar.
Somali Basin - About six pirates armed with guns in a skiff chased and fired upon a Liberia-flagged container ship, MSC Anafi, underway at 0255 UTC in position 05:39N - 053:20E. The Master raised the alarm, increased speed and crew mustered in a safe place. The onboard armed security team returned fire resulting in the pirates aborting the attack. No injuries to crew. The PAG remains operational. Initial report (via NSC) 19 Mar.
Gulf of Guinea - Tanker, MT Pluto, reported being chased and boarded by pirates around 1200 GMT, in position 02:56N - 006:13E, approx 90 miles SW of Bonny Island, Nigeria. A brown and white fishing vessel which deployed its FRC (fast rescue craft) with 10 plus armed men. The vessel was looted and bridge communications destroyed. The pirates headed back to the mother ship and then chased another vessel. The pirate mothership turned and increased speed, however the target vessel outran them. Reported (via GCaptain) 22 Mar.
Gulf of Guinea - Armed robbers in two boats chased a Liberia-flagged chemical tanker, Zouzou Tanker, underway at 0825 UTC: in position 02:57.20N - 006:12.45E, around 100nm SW off Bonny Island, Nigeria. Master raised the alarm, sent SSAS alert and instructed the crew to proceeded to the safe room. Nearby US warship responded to the alert and offered assistance. Later the robbers aborted and moved away. All crew reported safe. Reported (via IMB) 22 Mar.
Arabian Sea - MV came under attack by 1 skiff in position 16:58N - 062:48E at 0354 UTC, approximately 310nm SE of Omani coast. The vessel evaded the hijack attempt. The PAG remains operational in the area. Reported (via NSC) 23 Mar.

There are no updated figures for EUNAVFOR. Previous figures state 8 vessels and an estimated 213 hostages held captive (Updated 6 Mar). Somalia Report indicates 289 hostages held from 21 captured vessels with a further 26 land based hostages, bringing to a total of 315 hostages. IMB states 13 vessels and 197 hostages are held, as of 19 March HERE.

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. BMP version 4 is available at the link above; a high resolution version can be downloaded here.

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 (Email UKMTO or Telephone+971 50 552 3215) and on entering the UKMTO Voluntary Reporting Area (VRA) bound by Suez, 78E and 10S.

Subscribe to our newsletter.It arrives in your inbox days before the online version, and does not require a document download.

OCEANUSLive.org

Information, Security, Safety; Shared

Submitted by Team@oceanuslive.org

Sus	Atk	Hij
0	0	0