Piracy Targets Getting Harder

Five ships, two under gunfire, deterred attacks by Puntland pirates in the Gulf Of Aden in one day alone. Lessons, it seems, are being learned.

Evasive manoeuvering and fire hoses were used to defend the vessels, which have not been named, on 28 October. No injuries were reported among the ships’ crews. Their success may add further weight to arguments against arming ships’ crews, already an unpopular suggestion.

For such tactics to work, however, it’s vital that ships have sufficient manpower to mount effective watches, and that the crew be disciplined, drilled and trained and understand what to do.

Piracy resources:

Lessons From The Danica White

Piracy Commentary – Pirates In The Bow, Seafarers on the Front Lines

Ince & Co Article on Law and piracy

Piracy, Where’s The Love, Where Are The Bikinis?

Good News: Pirates Aren’t Terrorists, Bad News: Pirates Aren’t Terrorists

Getting French and Personal With Pirates

Don’t Keep Mum On Pirate Mothers

Piracy Needs A SASSy Response

The Danica White and The Pirates – All That Was Missing Was A Welcome Mat

Piracy Update – Svitzer Korsakov

Danish Maritime Authority Report On The Danica White (English)

Thomas Timlen’s worrying paper on SSAS

International Maritime Bureau

Rand Piracy Report

UK House of Commons Report

Maritime Piracy In The Modern World (American Bar Association Insights)

15 Reasons: Piracy Attack of a Ship is Different from Hijacking of Aircraft

Danica White, pirates and safe manning

Does LRAD Work?

Pirates, A Doom With A Q?

Piling Pineapples On Pirates The Russian Way

Piracy – MARAD Advisory

A Victim’s Story