IMB report: Maritime piracy doubled in first half of 2009!

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reported on Wednesday that pirate attacks around the globe have doubled in the first half of 2009. The bulk of the upsurge has come from increased activity in the Gulf of Aden and Somali coastal waters, where 130 incidents occurred since January. The report attributes a lull in activity in [...]

Fighting Piracy in the Gulf of Aden and Beyond

The Heritage Foundation’s Maritime Security Working Group published on June 24, 2009 Special Report #59, examining the issue of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the appropriate U.S. response. Though the report’s proposals are focused on the Gulf of Aden, they have implications for combating piracy worldwide as the recent successes of the Somali [...]

Piracy and the Rules of Engagement

Each day there seems to be new reports of piracy near the coast of Somalia. The pirates have learned over time that a hostile takeover of an unwitting crew and cargo is big business. With each successful attack, they get their prize – ransom.

When will the Merchant Shipping community tighten security?

According to the Associated Press (2008), pirates seized the 530-foot-long freighter Faina off of the coast of Somalia. The ship was carrying 33 T-72 tanks, a substantial quantity of ammunition, and spare parts. This is a series of lucrative business adventures of coastal pirate groups who undertake these swift measures to financially assist themselves [...]

African nations working for maritime security

By Scott Cohen
Representatives from 10 East African nations, along with coalition partners from the United Kingdom, France and the United States participated in a week-long working group in Djibouti to help lay a foundation for partnership in the realm of maritime security.

Was Secopex hired by Somalia to provide for its maritime security, or not?

On June 16, 2008 we as well as several news organizations reported that Somalia hired the private French military firm Secopex to provide for its maritime security. Yesterday, VOA correspondent Alisha Ryu learned that this might not be true. Listen below to Alisha Ryu report.

French military firm hired by Somalia to provide maritime security

Ever since the pirate attack on the French luxury yacht the Ponant, and the hostage tacking of it’s crew, French forces are involved in providing security to maritime vessels in the Gulf of Aden. Today, Secopex, a private French military firm has signed a contract with Somali government to boost it’s maritime security by creating [...]

Pirate attack: Two more vessels hijacked off Somalia

Pirates have hijacked two more vessels this Wednesday May 28, 2008 of the coast of Somalia. The MV Arean (Turkey flagged and owned by Arkia Company of Malta) and MV Lehmann Timber were seized in the Gulf of Aden near the position where the MV Amiya Scan was seized over the weekend.

Panama-flagged freighter hijacked of Somalia

Shortly after the last freighter was released by Somali pirates on Friday May 23, 2008 news broke about another pirate attack. This time the pirates hijacked a Panama-flagged cargo freighter in international waters off Somalia. The MV Amiya Scan and its crew of four Russian officers and five Filipino seamen was transporting a knocked down [...]

Somali Pirates free the Spanish Fishing Boat Playa de Bakio

According to the Kenya chapter of the Seafarers Assistance Program, the  Spanish tuna fishing boat, Playa de Bakio, was freed after a 1.2 million-dollar ransom was paid on Saturday, April 26, 2008. The 250 foot tuna trawler was captured by pirates on April 20, 2008 while fishing some 215 nautical miles off Somalia and held [...]

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