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Posted: January 16th, 2024
Piracy Trends and the Effectiveness of Private Armed Security on Merchant Vessels
Piracy is a serious threat to the maritime industry, affecting the safety of seafarers, the security of trade routes, and the stability of regional and global economies. According to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), there were 195 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in 2020, an increase of 20% from 2019. The Gulf of Guinea accounted for 95% of the kidnappings at sea, with 130 crew members taken hostage in 22 separate incidents. Other hotspots included the Singapore Strait, the Indian Ocean, and the Gulf of Aden.
One of the measures that have been adopted by some ship owners and operators to deter and defend against pirate attacks is the use of private armed security personnel (PASP) on board their vessels. PASP are contracted from private maritime security companies (PMSCs) that provide trained and licensed guards, weapons, equipment, and operational support. The use of PASP has been controversial, as there are legal, ethical, and practical challenges involved in outsourcing security functions to private actors in a complex and dynamic environment.
This blog post aims to examine the current trends and challenges of piracy and the effectiveness and implications of using PASP as a counter-piracy measure. It will also provide some recommendations for improving the regulation and oversight of PMSCs and enhancing the cooperation and coordination among stakeholders in the maritime domain.
Piracy Trends and Challenges
Piracy is not a new phenomenon, but it has evolved and adapted to changing geopolitical, economic, and technological conditions. Piracy can be motivated by various factors, such as poverty, unemployment, political instability, criminal networks, ideological agendas, or opportunism. Piracy can also take different forms, such as hijacking, kidnapping, robbery, vandalism, or sabotage.
Some of the current trends and challenges of piracy include:
– The emergence of new or resurgent piracy hotspots, such as the Gulf of Guinea, where pirates target oil tankers and cargo ships for ransom or theft of cargo. The Gulf of Guinea has become the most dangerous region for seafarers, as pirates operate with impunity due to weak governance, corruption, and lack of maritime law enforcement capacity in the coastal states.
– The persistence of piracy in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden, where Somali pirates have been largely contained but not eliminated by the international naval presence and the use of PASP. Somali pirates still pose a threat to shipping lanes that connect Europe, Asia, and Africa, as they have access to sophisticated weapons, skiffs, and mother ships that enable them to launch attacks far from shore.
– The increase of piracy in the Singapore Strait, where pirates target small vessels such as tugboats, barges, fishing boats, or coastal tankers for robbery or theft of fuel. The Singapore Strait is one of the busiest and most strategic waterways in the world, linking the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. The narrowness and congestion of the strait make it difficult for naval patrols to monitor and respond to incidents.
– The diversification of piracy tactics and techniques, such as using multiple skiffs to swarm a target vessel, using ladders or grappling hooks to board a vessel, using rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) or automatic weapons to fire at a vessel, using hostages as human shields or bargaining chips, or using social media or satellite phones to communicate or coordinate attacks.
– The escalation of violence and brutality in pirate attacks,
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