No reader of this blog needs to be told that the risk from Piracy is real and growing. We have seen it change from something that only happens in movies to the cold reality of US Navy SEALs shooting three Pirates dead and millions of dollars in ransom paid out. If you are a ship owner you have seen your costs escalate steadily when traveling through high-risk areas. Though the numbers might vary, a doubling of cost over the past two years is not out of the question.
The response to this threat has been documented here on gCaptain repeatedly and, pending developments, the consensus concerning the appropriate response appears to be one that is restrained. Enter the “Less Lethal” suppliers. These companies provide munitions for crowd control as well as the weapons that project them.
A relatively recent entrant to this arena is Bates & Dittus LLC, a company based in Connecticut, USA. B&D manufactures a line of launchers that have found acceptance both with police and SWAT teams as well as companies that provide High Seas Security. [Continue Reading →]
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Tags: · anti_piracy
Washington, D.C. – Sept. 9, 2009
In a September 9 keynote address to the ComDef 2009 defense policy conference in Washington, D.C., Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Andrew J. Shapiro announced that later in the day, the United States will sign the “New York Declaration,” a non-binding political document committing ship registry states to promulgate internationally recognized best management practices for protection of their vessels against piracy. Shapiro praised the New York Declaration as part of what Secretary Clinton has called “a 21st century solution to the 17th century problem” of piracy.
The United States’ formal signature indicates its commitment to implement measures that it has already encouraged and followed through compliance with U.S. Coast Guard directives on ship security. U.S. shipping companies have been instrumental in creating and implementing these best practices, having adopted and documented self-protection measures against piracy as part of their compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code. Examples of the best practices developed and implemented by all of the major international shipping industry organizations include increasing lookouts, ensuring that ladders are raised, and readying fire pumps to repel boarders.
The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs also leads U.S. Government participation in the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia, an ad hoc diplomatic grouping of nearly 40 participating nations and international organizations that is coordinating international naval patrols and shipping self-protection, as well as efforts to discourage the payment of ransoms, and build the capacity and political will of countries affected by piracy to interdict and prosecute suspected pirates.
The New York Declaration was initially presented by four of the world’s largest ship registries – Panama, the Bahamas, Liberia, and the Marshall Islands – at the Contact Group’s May 2009 plenary session. The United States will be joined by China, France, and the United Kingdom, among other countries, in signing the New York Declaration on the eve of the Contact Group’s Fourth Plenary Session, to be held September 10 at U.N. Headquarters in New York.
The Department of State leads the United States Government’s participation in the Contact Group, in close coordination with the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, Transportation, Treasury, and other agencies.
For more information, please visit the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs’ new Counter Piracy Web page, at: http://www.state.gov/t/pm/ppa/piracy/index.htm
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Tags: · anti_piracy, piracy
Sep 9 2009
The Maritime Administration today issued an advisory to mariners and ship operators that piracy is likely to increase off the Horn of Africa and in the Indian Ocean now that monsoon season has ended.
“We must apply the lessons learned from the crew of the Maersk Alabama,” said Acting Maritime Administrator David Matsuda, referring to the U.S. crew that escaped pirates last spring. “We are urging mariners to take defensive measures and not surrender at the first sign of a threat.”
The advisory not only warns vessels to avoid routes where attacks have taken place, but also recommends that mariners “demonstrate a willingness to defend yourself.” Today’s update encourages mariners to travel at “maximum sustainable speed” through “high threat areas” and to continually conduct risk assessments during their voyage. The advisory also gives mariners information on how best to check in with authorities and how to request escort service in a convoy.
The Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration routinely issues advisories, which usually warn of possible hazards and inform ships at sea of the measures they can take to avert danger. The text of the advisory can be found at the Maritime Administration web site, www.marad.dot.gov. In addition to posting on the website, advisories are broadcast by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to all U.S. flag ships and to other maritime interests.
(source: Maritime Administration)
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Tags: · anti_piracy, piracy, somalia
In response to the uprise in piracy and recent attacks on U.S. flagged vessels, the USCG has issued the Maritime Security Directive 104-6 (rev. 2) issued under the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2004. The revised Maritime Security Directive was signed on Monday by Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen and according to a press release from the USCG:
Maritime Security Directive 104-6 (rev. 2) issued by the Coast Guard under the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2004 provides the maritime industry with specific, risk-based measures to take to deter, detect or disrupt piracy. Prior to entering high risk waters, U.S. flagged vessels should establish an anti-piracy plan that includes the hardening of rigging and operating vessels in a manner to prevent attacks and subsequent boarding. Ships shall also use established transit lanes, erratic ships maneuvering, increased speed and cooperation with military forces patrolling the area. During transits through high-risk areas, it is the ship’s responsibility to maintain a vigilant anti-piracy watch and ensure all shipboard anti-piracy precautions are in force.
Additionally, ship owners of U.S. flagged vessels are required to submit security plans for approval by May 25 for vessels that operate in high risk waters and these vessels must have security protocols for terrorism, piracy, and armed robbery against ships that meet the performance standards in this directive.
Coast Guard Rear Admiral James Watson told shipping industry representatives at a maritime security meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida that the directive will also allow ship owners to decide whether to use armed or unarmed guards and that the State Department was working with countries in pirate-plagued regions to learn what weapons laws apply in their ports in order to clarify the issue for U.S. mariners. Watson also said the new directive would not be publicly released in its entirety because it contained sensitive security information. (source: Reuters)
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Tags: · anti_piracy, Maritime Security Incidents, piracy, USCG
Yesterday, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a subcommittee hearing on Piracy on the High Seas: Protecting our Ships, Crews, and Passengers. The goal of the hearing was to examine ongoing efforts to combat piracy on the high seas. The subcommittee, chaired by Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., heard testimonies from, amongst others, Philip J. Shapiro, President and Chief Executive Officer of Liberty Maritime Corporation, Rear Admiral Brian Salerno, Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security, and Stewardship for the U.S. Coast Guard, and Captain Phillips and Michael Perry, master and chief engineer of the MV Maersk Alabama.
Philip Shapiro, who’s company was recently victimized by pirates off the Somali coast in the April 14th attack on the M/V Liberty Sun, said that U.S. cargo crews should be allowed to arm themselves in response to the rising hijacking threat stating that although an 1819 statute gave ships the right to defend themselves, they still were subject to laws and inconsistent port rules governing whether armed vessels could dock. [Continue Reading →]
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Tags: · anti_piracy, piracy, USCG
UNOSAT, the UN Institute for Training and Research’s (UNITAR) Operational Satellite Applications Programme, has recently released a report focusing on a geographical analysis of piracy in 2009. The UNOSAT program delivers satellite solutions to relief and development organisations within and outside the UN system to help make a difference in the life of communities exposed to poverty, hazards and risk, or affected by humanitarian and other crises.
The report contains a detailed spatial analysis of the dramatic upsurge of pirate activity in 2009, focusing on changes in attack locations within the Gulf of Aden, changes in the attack success rate by month as well as on the unprecedented expansion of attacks in the Indian Ocean.
KEY FINDINGS: [Continue Reading →]
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Tags: · anti_piracy, piracy
In response to the recent upsurge in pirate attacks, FOXNews.com has put their own list of Ten High-Tech Weapons to Repel Pirates. All of the items on the list we have described on our own on Top-Ten lists for detering pirates. I’ve listed the items as they appear on the list from Fox, followed our descriptions with links back to articles and other sources.
Fire Hoses – The most common means of deterring pirates is with the use of firehoses. A ships crew will line up on deck, activate the large firepumps in the engine room and use the pressurized sea water to knock pirates off of boarding ladders. While this is effective it’s of little use when the boarding craft approaches with it’s 50 caliber machine gun armed.
Remote-controlled fire hoses – Kind of like Unifire’s Pirate Safe Force 80 that we mentioned as number 9 on our second list – Made entirely of marine-grade stainless steel, fully networked, controlled from a safe remote location this automatic ship protection is available with pre-programmed defensive spray patterns and is a truly impressive anti-pirate weapon.
Molotov Cocktails – I’m not too sure how high-tech Molotov cocktails are, but they proved effective when the crew of the ZHEN HUA 4 used them to fight off a group of pirates back in December. The pirates eventually made it on board but were never able to seize the ship. [Continue Reading →]
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Tags: · anti_piracy, piracy, weapons
Since World War II air dominance has played a critical role in successful military operations, are anti-piracy ops any different?
[Continue Reading →]
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Tags: · anti_piracy, piracy
Capt. Richard Phillips, who has been held hostage by Somali Pirates since Wednesdays hijack attempt, jumped overboard in an apparent attempt to swim to the USS Bainbridge Thursday night. Unfortunately, the pirates were able to quickly follow suit and recapture Phillips. He was reported to be not harmed in the incident.
The naval warship, USS Bainbridge, has been shadowing the lifeboat, which is now a few hundred and in communication with the pirates to possibly negotiate the return of the captain. Two more warships, the USS Halyburton and USS Boxer, are currently en route to the area to assist with the situation.
According to the Associated Press, the pirates sought to reinforce their colleagues by sailing hijacked ships with other captives aboard to the scene of the standoff. Apparently the pirates fear being shot if they release Phillips and they hope to link up with their colleagues who are using Russian, German, Filipino and other hostages captured in recent days as human shields.
Meanwhile, the Maersk Alabama is making its way towards Mombasa, Kenya, with its 19-man crew and security detail 0n board.
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Tags: · anti_piracy, Maersk Alabama, Maritime Security Incidents, piracy
This is the VHF recording between M/V CEC Future and a Coalition aircraft as the vessel was being attacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia back in early November 2008. The attack resulted in the CEC Future being siezed and held for over two months before ransom, of an undisclosed amount, was paid to the hijackers.
According to statements released by the vessel’s operator, Clipper Project Ship Management of Copenhagen, Denmark, there were 13 crew members on board, of which 11 are Russian citizens, 1 Georgian and 1 Estonian. All crew members were released and uninjured with the ship.
From what I could tell from the recording, it was about 8 minutes from the time the CEC Future first radioed for help to the time they reported the hijackers to be on board “with guns”.
The recording was just released on YouTube via user qewr1234567. While it is in English, the audio is somewhat muffled with Russian subtitles, so you must listen closely.
You can also read all press releases released by Clipper Project on this incident HERE
Thanks to gCaptain member, balticsemen, for pointing us to this.
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Tags: · anti_piracy, piracy
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