The crew of the hijacked MV Faina on deck in 2008. (Photo: U.S. Navy, Jason R. Zalasky)

Piracy is so rampant right now that it can be easy to lose sight of the human element.  Sometimes you must remind yourself that in each headline announcing a hijack, each ship being reported chased and fired upon, or even every vessel that sails through high-risk areas, there are twenty-something crew on board and a web of countless family members and friends impacted.

Well today, a program has been launched in London to help seafarers and families cope with the physical and mental trauma caused by those who have been or may be subject to a piracy attack.  The program, called the Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme (MPHRP), is funded by the ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) Seafarers’ Trust charity and The TK Foundation, and speaks for an alliance of shipowners, trade unions, managers, manning agents, insurers and welfare associations representing the entire shipping industry, from crews to owners.

Brutality against hostages is now part of the game says MPHRP. Somali-based pirates now regularly use extreme violence against hostages in order to put pressure on their families and/or employers to expedite ransom demands. This includes phoning family members and making the seafarer plead for his life while he is abused and threatened with death, and filming this and posting it online for relatives to see.

Peter Swift, MPHRP Chair and former MD of INTERTANKO, explains, “Piracy is reaching an all-time high: in the number of incidents, in the vast ransoms demanded and, most of all, in the extreme violence used. The treatment meted out to the victims now frequently crosses the line from savagery into torture.”

“The effects are potentially horrendous,” he continued. “For those, say, who successfully resisted capture but were nearly burnt alive in the room in which they barricaded themselves; for the brutalised hostages; and for those who daily put to sea in fear that it may at any time happen to them. And that’s not to forget the families, who are now firmly on the pirates’ target list.”

Roy Paul, a representative of the ITF Seafarers’ Trust and MPHRP programme manager, added, “until now, there has been little coordinated help for those who are suffering. Now that will change. With the help of those in the industry who want to do their best for those involved, we intend to build up a network of first responders and get psychosocial help for affected crews.  We have already been listening to seafarers and recording their experiences. Those will lay the foundation for new guides for seafarers, families and employers, for training in their use, and for building the networks of human and medical help that are now desperately needed.”

There are currently 15 vessels with 277 crew being held hostage, and an additional 19 being held prisoner on land, according to figures by the International Maritime Bureau.  Over the last eight years it is believed that some 4000 seafarers have been attacked by pirates or been victims of armed robbers while at work onboard.

Somalia Piracy Update for December 12, 2008 is provided by NATO Shipping Centre

2 December – a cluster of possibly co-ordinated approaches made to 5 merchant vessels in Gulf of Aden, successfully repelled by Italian destroyer, Luigi Durand de la Penne
MV CENTAURI was released 27 November (ransom payment amount not known)
MV MAERSK REGENSBURG was attacked approximately 450n miles east of Dar es Salaam (350nm west of Seychelles). Two pirate skiffs made two attempts to board the vessel and used small arms and 3x RPGs in the attack causing small fire on board. This is the most southerly incidence of piracy yet reported.
The last successful hijack was of MV BISCAGLIA 28 Nov
MV CAPTAIN STEFANOS was released 7 December; tbe vessel is now on route to Suez (ransom payment amount not known).
13 vessels remain hijacked comprising 11 merchant ships 1 fishing vessel and tug boat Yenegoa Ocean

The current slide displays last known position of hijacked vessels.

Over 200 merchant seamen are still held by pirates. The use of mother-ships seems to be on the rise, and potentially, vessels are hijacked with the sole intention of using them as such.

In short, the trends in latest piracy incidents are as follows:

• Targeting larger cargo / oil / gas / chemical tankers
• Approaches / attacks conducted from 2-3 small speedboats with 3-5 armed persons each. The number of boats involved in each incident seems to be increasing.

Given the significant increase in piracy (and piracy related) incidents in the Gulf of Aden, the NATO Shipping Centre asks any ship or ship owner to report to us with any details of (perceived) suspicious activity (e.g. ships on radar shadowing their movements, changing course to intercept, changing speed to match or intercept)

• course and speed of vessel if available
• positions and date/time
• identity or description of suspicious vessel(s)
• photograph if available

Please report any such activity to the NATO Shipping Centre’s (NSC) free call centre: +44 (0)1923 956574, or by fax: +44 (0)1923 956575, or E-mail: info@shipping.nato.int

These days, it is impossible to watch or read any news publication, maritime or not, and not know about pirates operating in the Gulf of Aden.  The hijacking of the M/V Faina last month carrying 33 Ukranian tanks and other military equipment, has sparked worldwide interest in the staggering growth of incidents.  Just today Bloomberg reported a pirate attacks have climbed five-fold in the Gulf of Aden for first nine months of this year with 51 boardings or attempts to board.  Yesterday, it was announced that NATO is sending 7 warships to the area to assist with escorts and patrols.

The problem has lead to increased insurance premiums, a sense of unease when navigating the area and cries for help from ship owners.  Well to answer those cries, one US company is taking matters into its own hands and has deployed a ship to the area to help with efforts.

Blackwater USA, the private military organization known as either a private security firm or a mercenary organization (depending on your political beliefs) plans to send its 183-ft. M/V McArthur to the Gulf of Aden. As we reported in a previous gCaptian post, the vessel boasts “state of the art navigation systems, full GMDDSS communications, SEATEL Broadband, dedicated command and control bas, helicopter decks, hospital and multiple support vessel capabilities.”

Additionally, Blackwater is even talking of an anti-piracy fleet.  Forbes.com tells us:

The mercenary outfit–founded by former Navy SEALs in 1997 and heavily involved in U.S. military efforts in Iraq–has tentative plans to build a small fleet of two or three anti-piracy vessels, each able to carry several dozen armed security personnel, according to reports in Lloyds List Maritime. Although the Blackwater vessels will not be armed, the crew will be. Unlike official military personnel, they may have fewer qualms about using those arms against pirates.

Interesting stuff.  Tell us what you think of private contractors providing military like services in the comments.

You can read more on the McArthur in gCaptain.com’s previous post Blackwater Maritime Teams With Kings Point

In reaction to what appeared to be an attempted hijacking, a security team aboard United States Naval Vessel John Lenthall was forced to fire warning shots at two small boats that were pursuing the vessel off the coast of Somalia.  U.S Naval Forces Central Command tells us:

Despite defensive measures to deter the vessels from approaching John Lenthall, small boats continued to approach the ship. The rounds impacted the water approximately 50 yards from the closest boat and resulted in both small boats ending their pursuit. All shots were accounted for as they entered the water.

“This incident is clear proof that all mariners must remain vigilant,” said Captain Steve Kelley, the commander responsible for all Military Sealift Command (MSC) ships in the region. “I am extremely pleased with the actions taken by the ship’s master and ultimately by the security personnel aboard. They initially used defensive measures and when those weren’t enough the security personnel took action to defend the ship.”

While it is unclear if personnel on the boats were intent on attacking the 41,000-ton ship, it is clear they were not following the international rules of the road observed by mariners around the globe. More importantly, the location of the incident, the types of boats involved (small open skiffs), and the maneuvering they undertook was consistent with reports from previous attacks on merchant vessels in the region.

The John Lenthall one of fourteen of Military Sealift Command’s Fleet Replenishment Oilers, a fleet used to refuel Navy ships at sea.  This is a great example of just how dangerous, or stupid, the pirates are in these waters.

About USNS John Lenthall (TAO-189) as provided by MSC:

Seajacking and phantom ships:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Related Video:

• Chinese Pirates (part 2 of above series)
• Maritime Security Roudtable