The Threat of Modern Piracy- A Merged Thread

[Yrys]

Somali pirate patrol: Day one, BBC News, Thursday, 19 February 2009


Video of "On the deck of HMS Northumberland", 2 min 13 sec

The BBC's Jonah Fisher has joined British Royal Navy frigate HMS Northumberland as
it patrols the Gulf of Aden in an EU taskforce to deter Somali pirates.

In the first instalment of his diary from the ship's deck, our correspondent finds that
even with a fleet of warships, catching the seaborne hijackers is not as easy as one
might imagine.

THURSDAY 19 FEBRUARY

We've been at sea now for a few hours and still no sign of Keira Knightley or Johnny
Depp. It's an obvious joke. But the deployment of a British frigate off Somalia's coast
and in the Gulf of Aden shows just how seriously the struggle against modern piracy
is now being taken.

The HMS Northumberland has for the last three months been part of the European
Union's anti-piracy Combined Task Force Atalanta. It's one of six warships from
across the continent trying to cover an area of more than a million square miles
(2.6m sq km). From Mombasa in the south and as far north and east as Oman.

Elusive prey

Duties within the taskforce are shared between the warships and are a mixture
of escorting aid deliveries into Somali ports and patrolling commercial shipping
lanes to try to deter attacks. Warships from Russia, China, Malaysia and India
are also on their own anti-piracy missions in the region. So far the jury is out
on their success.

After the high-profile captures of the oil tanker, the Sirius Star, and the Ukrainian
MV Faina in late 2008 the last two months have seen the number of piracy attacks
decrease markedly. So far this year there have been 21 attempted boardings -
just three of them successful.

But that improvement could also be down to changing sea conditions. Monsoon
winds made December and January much harder for the pirates in their small
open boats to operate. Now the weather is improving and the navy is waiting
to see if the pirates emerge.

So far the nearly 200 crew of the HMS Northumberland have made only limited
contact with the pirates. And when they have, the complex legal basis for the
operation has made taking action difficult.

"For us to intervene we have to actually arrive as an act of piracy is taking place,"
Martin Simpson, the commander of HMS Northumberland, told me. "That means
we see the pirates approaching a merchant vessel with AK47s (automatic rifles)
or RPGs (rocket propelled grenades) and trying to put a ladder in place to climb
aboard."

On two occasions the HMS Northumberland has arrived just too late and was
unable to prevent the ships being taken. Once the Somalis have scrambled up a
ladder on to deck there is no prospect of a rescue bid.

The owners of the merchant vessels prefer to enter into ransom negotiations with
the pirates. After several months of talks with intermediaries the crew and cargo
have usually been released unharmed in return for several million US dollars.

For the next few days I'll be reporting from on board the HMS Northumberland as
it patrols the world's most dangerous shipping lane through the Gulf of Aden. At
present we've just left the Omani port of Salalah and are heading west towards
Somalia and Djibouti.

 

[Yrys]

Somali pirate patrol: Day two, BBC News, Friday, 20 February 2009

The BBC's Jonah Fisher has joined British Royal Navy frigate HMS Northumberland
as it patrols the Gulf of Aden in an EU taskforce to deter Somali pirates.

In the second instalment of his diary from the ship's deck, our correspondent joins
a helicopter patrol.

FRIDAY 20 FEBRUARY

A trip in the Merlin helicopter provided the perfect opportunity to see how hard it
is to tackle Somali piracy.This is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world,
with huge container ships and tankers making their way to and from the Suez
Canal.

But there are also lots of much smaller local ships here, and almost all of them
match the initial profile of "Somali pirate ship". That means a wooden dhow with
fast-moving motorised skiffs attached alongside. From high in the sky ships that
could hardly be seen with the naked eye were magnified through a powerful
video camera mounted on the outside of the helicopter.

Patrols can home in on boats from a
helicopter's vantage point

Suspicious signs

I watched as the operator skilfully zoomed in, trying to look for secondary clues
that the boats might be more than just fishing vessels. The key indicators are the
presence of ladders or grapple hooks which the pirates use to climb from the skiffs
onto the hijacked ship. Large numbers of men - far too many for a fishing trip - is
another sign, as is lots of fuel on board that the pirates can use as they wait at sea
for their target to come along.

But you wouldn't have to be the cleverest Somali pirate captain to stash your ladders
and fuel out of sight and to keep as many of your men as possible under a tarpaulin.
So most of the local ships we checked out from the air were inconclusive.

Nothing to warrant sending the Royal Marines in their speed boats - but impossible
to say with conviction that they were not pirates.

Deterrence role

It's clear that the sailors on board the HMS Northumberland are keen for action. For
two hours late on Thursday a real buzz went around the ship as it was briefly diverted
to intercept a drug-running ship. But the information turned out to be old. Then today
the Royal Marines got kitted up to go and check out some local fisherman.

Unfortunately for them the chances of an act of piracy taking place close enough to
the Northumberland for it to act are pretty slim.

Deterrence is a big part of the role of the EU Atalanta taskforce - and it seems that
in the areas that they operate the warships are having an effect.

This afternoon the biggest gun on the ship - with shells four-and-a-half inches wide -
was fired in a training exercise. If pirates were watching they would have been impressed.

But with between just 10 and 15 warships in the region, most of the one million square
miles around Somalia are still perfect for bounty hunting.

 

[Yrys]

Somali pirate patrol: Day three, BBC News, Saturday, 21 February 2009

The BBC's Jonah Fisher has joined British Royal Navy frigate HMS Northumberland
as it patrols the Gulf of Aden in an EU taskforce to deter Somali pirates.

In the third instalment of his diary from the ship's deck, our correspondent joins
a helicopter patrol.

SATURDAY 21 FEBRUARY

Video  "Helicopter hunt for sea pirates", 1 min 24 sec

For the last two days I've been shown the British navy's search and respond capabilities
in the Gulf of Aden. But there have been no pirates.

This morning, in a somewhat desperate bid to keep us entertained, the Royal Marines
showed us their guns. We were even given the chance to fire them. A huge inflatable
red ball nicknamed the Killer Tomato was thrown into the water and allowed to drift
half a kilometre from the HMS Northumberland.

A 30mm cannon capable of 600 rounds per minute was then fired. With each earsplitting
rounds costing nearly £50 ($72), some novice shooting meant sinking the Killer Tomato
wasn't cheap.

After another helicopter ride in the afternoon failed to identify any pirates we returned
to the ship expecting the day to wind down before a formal evening meal in the officer's
mess. Instead we were greeted by Royal Marines arming themselves to head out to sea.
A lone skiff ahead of the HMS Northumberland had attracted the captain's attention - and
he wanted the marines to take a closer look.

I was on board one of the two Royal Marine boats as it sped a mile towards the skiff in
question. As we came closer it became clear that this was not pirates. Inside the boat
were 35 scared men,  women and children.

The leader of the Royal Marines got out his Arabic phrasebook and ventured. "Inta min wehn,"
he asked. "Where are you from?" "Somalia," came the reply, in English. "Hungry. We are hungry"

The skiff was one of the many making the dangerous journey from Somalia's chaos to Yemen
in search of a better life. When we arrived back on board the Northumberland the radio on the
bridge was buzzing noisily. Several ships were worried about a skiff that was moving rapidly
among them.

The helicopter was despatched to take a closer look and the marines readied themselves to
head out again. But - as has happened so often - there was nothing which gave the British
any reason to believe that the boat was anything more than a fisherman on his way home.

 

[Yrys]

Somali pirate patrol: Day four,BBC News, Sunday, 22 February 2009

The BBC's Jonah Fisher has joined British Royal Navy frigate HMS
Northumberland as it patrols the Gulf of Aden in an EU taskforce
to deter Somali pirates.

In the fourth instalment of his diary from the ship's deck, our
correspondent sees how the pirates are able to seize ships only
a few miles away from naval vessels.

SUNDAY 22 FEBRUARY

The day jolted into life with the news that the MV Saldanha had
been taken by pirates. The first realisation that the Saldanha, a
Greek-owned container ship was in trouble came on the radar.
Instead of following the established shipping corridor through
the Gulf of Aden it was heading directly towards Somalia.

The helicopter was sent up to take a closer look while the HMS
Northumberland moved towards the Saldanha at top speed.
Two miles away radio contact was established. The frightened
voice of the Saldanha's captain came over the airwaves. A
"hostage situation" had now developed, he said, with the pirates
issuing the demand that the warship stay away.

There was little that Martin Simpson, captain of the Northumberland,
could do. He was forced to watch as the Saldanha with its crew of
22 below deck drifted past the bridge windows and on towards the
Horn of Africa.

The Greek owner will now be expecting the phone call that begins
ransom negotiations.The mandate of the European Union taskforce -
of which the Northumberland is part - is to act as a deterrent and try
and stop acts of piracy in process or about to take place. It does not
have the mandate or capability to retake captured ships like the
Saldanha.

It appears that the Saldanha was seized either at night or at first light
about 60 miles (100km) from the Northumberland's location. Despite
being relatively close in maritime terms, with no alarm being sounded
there was no chance of the Northumberland being able to act.

Later in the day an abandoned skiff was spotted drifting. It appeared
to be the launch vessel that the pirates had used. On board was a
large amount of fuel, a ladder with hooked ends, two RPG grenades
and a quantity of money.

After having a close look at the skiff the decision was taken to sink it.
The ship's snipers and machine gunners were given the honour and
some impromptu target practice eventually led to an explosion and
the pirate boat going under.

Not for the first time on this three-month-long mission, the
Northumberland has found itself in the same region as an act
of piracy but without the advance warning to stop it.

 

[Yrys]

Somali pirate patrol: Day five,BBC News, Monday, 23 February 2009

The BBC's Jonah Fisher has joined British Royal Navy frigate HMS
Northumberland as it patrols the Gulf of Aden in an EU taskforce
to deter Somali pirates.

In the fifth instalment of his diary from the ship's deck, our
correspondent asks whether such patrols can succeed in the
troubled region.


MONDAY 23 FEBRUARY

This morning at about 1130 the HMS Northumberland arrived
in the port of Djibouti. For the crew of the ship engine trouble
means they'll be turning around and heading back to Oman.
But for both the ship and I our time on "pirate patrol" has
come to an end.

The most tangible sign that the Northumberland has made a
difference during its three months with the EU anti-piracy
taskforce has been its success escorting ships carrying food
aid into Somali ports.

It has had rather less joy catching pirates or stepping into
prevent attacks. On three occasions, the most latest being
the case of the MV Saldanha this weekend, the frigate has
arrived just too late.

Whether because they were too far away - or because no
alarm was raised - the crew has three times had the
frustrating experience of watching a hijacked ship sail off
over the horizon.

Inevitable weaknesses

Several people have emailed to ask why the taskforce is
not mandated to retake captured ships. There are several
reasons.

First, it is an operational one - the Northumberland's captain
Martin Simpson was at pains to stress that he would need a
much more robust force - including two helicopters - to
ensure that his crew were not at risk. Boosting the force
would increase the costs - and yet still in such a large area
it would be impossible to ensure everyone was protected.

Secondly and most importantly, it is not what the shipping
community want. If a merchant vessel is transporting $100m
(£69m) of oil and 23 crew, its owners would much rather
pay a ransom than risk a bloodbath and the loss of the cargo.

The taskforce stress that they act as a deterrent and are
focusing their patrolling on narrow corridors in the Gulf of
Aden.

But the brazen theft of the Saldanha just 60 miles (97km)
from the Northumberland on Sunday illustrates the inevitable
weaknesses that still exist when a handful of warships attempt
to cover a million square miles of water. With Somalia in ruins
the lure of piracy is unlikely to diminish anytime soon.

The question then for the countries with warships in the region
is this: Do they have the long-term commitment to keep funding
a force that is at best a sticking plaster for the problem?

 

[CougarKing]

The PLAN in action again.

China navy halts pirate attack off Somalia

Published: 02.26.09, 14:02 / Israel News

A Chinese naval patrol rescued an Italian merchant ship from a pirate attack in the waters off Somalia, China's official Xinhua news agency reported on Thursday.

A Chinese destroyer, Haikou, was escorting a fleet of ships in the Gulf of Aden on Feb. 24 when an Italian boat suffered an engine failure and was attacked. Haikou dispatched three special operations troops in a helicopter, which flew directly above the Italian boat and fired two warning shots to scare the pirates away, the report said. (Reuters)

A helicopter rests on the destroyer "Haikou" from the South China Sea Fleet

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3678068,00.html

 

 

[CougarKing]

another update on CTF 151:

090220-N-1082Z-215 GULF OF ADEN (Feb. 20, 2009) The Dutch flexible support ship HDMS Absalon (L 16), right, the guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) and the guided-missile destroyer USS Mahan (DDG 72) transit the Gulf of Aden. Vella Gulf is the flagship for Combined Task Force 151, a multi-national task force conducting counter-piracy operations to detect and deter piracy in and around the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Gulf, Indian Ocean and Red Sea. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky/Released)

090219-N-6278K-062 GULF OF ADEN (Feb. 19, 2009) The visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team assigned to the Danish flexible support ship HDMS Absalon (L 16) conduct training aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Vela Gulf (CG 72). Vela Gulf is the flagship for Combined Task Force 151, a multi-national task force conducting counter-piracy operations to detect and deter piracy in and around the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Gulf, Indian Ocean and Red Sea. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joan E. Kretschmer/Released)

090219-N-6278K-006 GULF OF ADEN (Feb. 19, 2009) The visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team assigned to the Dutch flexible support ship HDMS Absalon (L 16) conduct VBSS training with the guided-missile cruiser USS Vela Gulf (CG 72). Vela Gulf is the flagship for Combined Task Force 151, a multi-national task force conducting counter-piracy operations to detect and deter piracy in and around the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Gulf, Indian Ocean and Red Sea. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joan E. Kretschmer/Released)

090219-N-1082Z-064 GULF OF ADEN (Feb. 19, 2009) The visit, board, search and seizure team assigned to the Dutch flexible support ship HDMS Absalon (L 16) trains by boarding the guided-missile cruiser USS Vela Gulf (CG 72). Vela Gulf is the flagship for Combined Task Force 151, a multi-national task force conducting counter-piracy operations to detect and deter piracy in and around the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Gulf, Indian Ocean and Red Sea. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Jason R. Zalasky/Released)

090219-N-6278K-024 GULF OF ADEN (Feb. 19, 2009) The visit, board, search and seizure team assigned to the Danish flexible support ship HDMS Absalon (L 16) trains by boarding the guided-missile cruiser USS Vela Gulf (CG 72). Vela Gulf is the flagship for Combined Task Force 151, a multi-national task force conducting counter-piracy operations to detect and deter piracy in and around the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Gulf, Indian Ocean and Red Sea. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joan E. Kretschmer/Released)

 

[Yrys]

(U.S.) Navy releases 9 suspected pirates, citing lack of evidence, updated 1 hour, 23 minutes ago

The U.S. Navy apprehends suspected pirates February 12
in the Gulf of Arden.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Navy released nine of the 16 suspected pirates it was holding
on a ship for the last few weeks, according to defense officials.

The pirates were released because the Navy did not have enough evidence to hand them over
to Kenya for prosecution in court, in accordance with a recent agreement between the United
States and Kenya, the officials explained. The nine were brought into Somali waters and then
handed over to that country's coast guard.

The suspected pirates were detained by the Navy after the captain of the Indian-flagged ship
Premdivya broadcast a distress call to all ships in the area that it had come under attack by a
small boat.

The Navy saw a small boat meeting the description given by the Premdivya, and the occupants
were detained and moved to the nearby USS Vella Gulf, where they were held.

 

[CougarKing]

South Korean navy sailors and special forces salute during a launching ceremony of the ”Cheonghae” unit at a naval port in Busan, about 420 km (262 miles) southeast of Seoul, March 3, 2009. The Cheonghae unit consisting of a 4,500-tonnes destroyer, 270 crew, one helicopter and 30 special forces, will be dispatched to the Gulf of Aden to protect the countrys commercial vessels from Somali pirates, South Korean navy said on Tuesday. REUTERS

South Korean navy sailors salute in front of its KDX-II class destroyer ”Munmu the Great” during a launching ceremony of the ”Cheonghae” unit at a naval port in Busan, about 420 km (262 miles) southeast of Seoul, March 3, 2009. The Cheonghae unit consisting of a 4,500-tonnes destroyer, 270 crew, one helicopter and 30 special forces, will be dispatched to the Gulf of Aden to protect the countrys commercial vessels from Somali pirates, South Korean navy said on Tuesday. REUTERS

 

[CougarKing]

Yikes!!!!

Pirates Target 1,000 Brits On Cruise Ship

10:18am UK, Thursday March 05, 2009

Alex Watts, Sky News Online
More than 1,000 British tourists on a world cruise have been targeted by suspected pirates off the coast of Somalia.

Balmoral has been involved in three incidents this year

The terrified holidaymakers were made to sit below deck as the 43,000-tonne Balmoral zig-zagged to get away from the attackers.

The alarm was raised when two small craft travelling at 20 knots followed the 218m-long vessel in notorious seas, dubbed the Gates of Hell.

A spokeswoman for tour operator Fred Olsen told Sky News Online: "Balmoral encountered suspicious activity by two small craft, closing at high speed.

"The ship's master requested passengers to assemble in safe havens as part of a pre-planned safety procedure.

"Aggressive manoeuvring was implemented and contact was made with the EU Coalition Task Force (which patrols the Gulf of Aden in an effort to combat piracy)."

She denied reports that shots were fired at the vessel.

Officers sent up distress flares to alert Royal Navy and US warships searching for Somali pirates in the area.

Somali pirates holding the merchant vessel, MV Faina

Somali pirates operate in area

The company has since taken the Balmoral, formerly the Norwegian Crown, off its website ship locator.

The spokeswoman said no-one was injured, and the vessel had now arrived at Salalah in Oman as scheduled.

Passenger Stuart McKellar, 49, from Morpeth, Northumberland, told reporters: "All the passengers were ordered to go and sit down in a safe haven.

"There was concern but it was all quite civilised.

"The majority of the passengers on board the ship are elderly but everyone was taken safely back to their cabins."

The 104-day cruise left Dover on February 14, with prices ranging from £11,430 to £38,000 per person.

It is due to return to Dover on May 29 after visiting Africa, Singapore, Japan, Canada and the US.

The Balmoral - which was refitted last year and has 738 cabins - had a norovirus outbreak in January.

A few weeks later it became an internet sensation after a video of it sailing through a force 12 gale in the Bay of Biscay off northern Spain was posted on Youtube.

Pirates attacked more than 130 merchant ships in the Gulf of Aden last year, more than double the number of the previous year, according to the International Maritime Bureau.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/P...In_Gulf_Of_Aden

 

[CougarKing]

The Bundeswehr has dedicated naval infantry/Marines?  ???

German marines, backed by US forces, responded to the attack on the MV Courier

After a heavy fire exchange, German forces managed to stop the assault.

The presence of international troops has cut the number of attacks

Bundeswehr soldiers approach pirates in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia

 

[ironduke57]

The Bundeswehr has dedicated naval infantry/Marines?  ???

Sort of.

[quote author=wiki]The Bundesmarine maintains two distinct marine commando organizations:

Spezialisierte Einsatzkräfte Marine (SEK M) is a special operations formation of German Navy. The Bataillon includes next to other units the Kampfschwimmerkompanie and a boarding-company. The unit is based at Eckernförde.
The Marineschutzkräfte (MSK), which are responsible for the protection of naval vehicles and facilities. The battalion is based in Eckernförde and ist organized into five units: one staff & support company, three fleet protection companies and a military intelligence platoon. [/quote]

Regards,
ironduke57

 

[Blackadder1916]

Berlin Spared Embarrassment by Kenya Deal on Pirates
SPIEGEL ONLINE By Horand Knaup and Alexander Szandar 03/09/2009 03:36 PM

The Germany's navy first capture of pirates off the coast of Somalia triggered confusion back in Berlin last week, where officials quarrelled over what should be done with them. An EU agreement reached with Kenya on Friday should help avoid a repeat of the embarrassment.

Since last Tuesday, nine Somali pirates who tried to hijack the German-owned freighter "Courier" have been baking on the deck of the German navy frigate "Rheinland-Pfalz". They are sitting in a white tent as the frigate steams through the Indian Ocean towards the Kenyan port of Mombasa, and they'll probably soon be harboring fond memories of their days in German custody.

Their trip is likely to end in a Kenyan high-security jail -- in Shimo la Tewa, the infamous Mombasa jail where eight other pirates are already awaiting trial. The place has 3,500 prisoners, it's humid and sweltering, most of them sleep on the floor -- and at night rats and cockroaches crawl over their legs. The drinking water is salty and malaria is widespread.

Last Friday, the call came from the German embassy in Nairobi that sealed the fate of the pirates and spared Germany international embarrassment. The European Union's extradition deal with the Kenyans had been signed.

Germany's ambassador to Kenya, Walter Lindner, had used all his diplomatic skills in months of negotiation to arrive at an extradition treaty between the European Union and Kenya so that European warships will in the future be able to hand over arrested pirates to Kenya, where they will be put on trial.

It was high time, because by that time the Rheinland-Pfalz had had the pirates on board for three days during which the sailors had learned that it's not hard to capture pirates, but that it can be very tough to figure out what to do with them. Should they be taken to Germany? Or handed over to a third country? Or would it be best to simply let them go?

Berlin Bureaucrats in Disarray

Back in Berlin, no one knew what to do at first. It seemed as though the relevant ministries were totally surprised by the unheard-of fact that the soldiers Germany had dispatched to the Gulf of Aden might actually catch some pirates.

The departmental heads in the ministries had planned everything as thoroughly as one would expect from a proper German pirate hunt. On February 12, a committee made up of senior officials from the defense, foreign, interior and justice ministries had met to run through the procedures following a capture.

They asked the right question -- what happens if German soldiers capture pirates? The committee also discussed a scenario that was especially complex from a legal point of view: a pirate attack on a ship owned by a German company but registered under a foreign flag and manned by a non-German crew.

They agreed that captured pirates should not be brought to Germany. Then last Tuesday, shortly after 9 a.m., pirates armed with small arms weapons and rocket-propelled grenades attacked the Courier -- a ship belonging to a Hamburg-based shipping company but traveling under the flag of the Caribbean state of Antigua and Barbuda and with a crew consisting of Philippinos and one Burmese man. The German frigate rushed to their aid.

It was exactly the kind of case the Berlin bureaucrats had trained for. But everything went wrong. Even before the ministerial committee had convened on Wednesday evening, the Interior Ministry, in the hands of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats, and the Foreign Ministry, headed by Social Democrat Frank-Walter Steinmeier, were already quarrelling publicly about the best course of action.

An Interior Ministry official accused the Foreign Ministry of failing to negotiate treaties with third countries such as Kenya. Steinmeier's diplomats retorted that an EU agreement with Kenya was ready to be signed.

To complicate matters, the state public prosecutor's office in the port city of Hamburg got involved and said it may press charges. After all, it's in charge of handling crimes committed at sea.

That irritated the ministry people in Berlin. Things weren't going as they had planned. So they decided to play for time.

They wanted to avoid having the pirates simply released somewhere on the coast of Somalia. So they ordered the frigate to keep course for Mombasa in the hope that Ambassador Lindner and his Czech colleague Margita Fuchsova, representing the current Czech presidency of the EU, would get the Kenyan government to sign an extradition treaty in time.

General Problem

The story of the Rheinland-Pfalz and its pirates sounds like a bureaucratic nightmare, but the Germans aren't the only ones with this problem. All countries that have dispatched warships to patrol the coast of Somalia are in a difficult legal position as soon as they make arrests.

Last September, the Danish navy released 10 pirates on a Somali beach because they didn't know what else to do with them. In January, the Danish warship Absalon sailed around the Gulf of Aden with five arrested pirates who had tried to seize a ship registered under the flag of Aruba. They were finally handed over to a Dutch warship.

The French, by contrast, took determined action when the French luxury yacht Le Ponant was captured by kidnappers. They sent in elite troops and took the kidnappers back to France.

So far, only Britain and the US have their own treaties with Kenya. The EU-Kenyan treaty signed last Friday will make life easier for the European warships patrolling the area as part of Operation Atalanta. But the problems haven't really been solved.

Kenya Reluctant

"We can't put all the pirates on trial here," said a Kenyan government spokesman. Human rights organizations have also been warning against agreements with the Kenyans. "No one guarantees a fair trial in Kenya," said Ben Rawlence of Human Rights Watch.

It's not even certain the pirates held in Kenya will end up being convicted. The lawyer of eight pirates currently in jail in Mombasa argues that the ships attacked weren't registered under a Kenyan flag and weren't heading for the country. "There is no logical reason for a Kenyan court to try to convict the suspects," he said.

The Rheinland-Pfalz will soon be rid of its pirates. Captain Markus Rehbein had even worked out what to do if Kenya, Antigua, the Philippines and the Hamburg prosecutors had all refused to take the pirates.

He had the pirates' boat lifted on board to make sure that, if he had been forced to release them on a Somali beach, he at least wouldn't have to do them the honor of ferrying them ashore in one of his ship's own launches.

RELATED SPIEGEL ONLINE LINKS:
First Arrests: German Navy Detains 9 Pirate Suspects (03/03/2009)

 

[Yrys]

Japan to join anti-piracy patrols, BBC News, Friday, 13 March 2009

Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force is
only allowed to deploy defensively

Two Japanese warships are to join an anti-piracy mission off Somalia. The two destroyers
are to set sail on Saturday and are expected to reach the Gulf of Aden in about three
weeks. Their deployment follows a defence ministry decision in January, which required
approval by parliament and the prime minister.

Japan's pacifist constitution allows its forces to mount operations only in self-defence,
making the decision to deploy so far from home controversial.

The two ships, Sazanami and Samidare, will carry a total of about 400 sailors and coast
guard officials. Their initial role is to protect Japanese ships as well as those carrying
Japanese cargoes or crews. They will be allowed to fire only in self defence and to protect
Japanese nationals in an emergency.

Japan's role

The public concern has been that Japan must not be drawn into military actions far beyond
its own shores and interests. But the mission has been gaining support in recent weeks.

"Piracy off Somalia is a threat to Japan and the international community," Defence Minister
Yasukazu Hamada told reporters. "It is an important duty for the Self-Defence Forces to
protect Japanese lives and assets," he said.

No Japanese ship has been taken by pirates yet, the government said, but pirates have fired
at three Japanese vessels. Japan's forces are engaged in other operations overseas, in Iraq,
Afghanistan, and as UN peacekeepers. But these have largely been logistics and support
missions, providing re-fuelling, transport and reconstruction.

Japan's deployment comes three months after China sent ships to join the anti-piracy patrols.

Expanded mission?

Although current rules of engagement allow the two Maritime Self-Defence Force destroyers
to protect only Japanese ships, nationals and cargo, this could change.

Prime Minister Taro Aso's Liberal Democratic Party has proposed legislation that would widen
the scope of the mission, allowing the ships to escort foreign vessels in danger. If passed by
parliament it would also allow the sailors to use weapons in a broader range of circumstances
if engaged by pirates.

The United Nations Security Council decided in early December to extend for another year its
authorisation for countries to enter Somalia's territorial waters, with advance notice, and use
"all necessary means" to stop acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea.

Piracy has taken an increasing toll on international shipping, especially in the Gulf of Aden,
one of the world's busiest sea lanes.

World leaders have called for more
action to tackle piracy

 

[Yrys]

Japan Sends Destroyers on Anti-Piracy Patrol, NY Times, March 13, 2009

HONG KONG — In a move to safeguard vital oil shipments, Japan said Friday it will deploy
two warships to join anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden.

“Piracy is a threat to the international community, including Japan, and it is an issue that
should be dealt with immediately,” the defense minister, Yasukazu Hamada, said Friday
in Tokyo.

Two destroyers from Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force are due to leave southern Japan
on Saturday. They will join a flotilla from the European Union, a task force led by the
United States and other navies operating independently in the gulf. China has two destroyers
and a supply ship there, and Iran and Russia have mounted anti-piracy patrols as well.

Japan’s pacifist Constitution restricts the activities of its military, although the navy is allowed
to conduct policing patrols and protect Japanese vessels. The deployment to the gulf would
almost certainly put the destroyers in the position of having to aid ships from other nations,
and Mr. Hamada said new legislation would be submitted to parliament to extend the navy’s
mandate.

The deployment was not expected to be as politically sensitive as other missions in recent
years. Japan sent ground troops to Iraq as part of a humanitarian mission and its naval forces
to the Indian Ocean on refueling duties as part of the war in Afghanistan. About 90 percent of
Japan’s crude oil imports come from the Middle East, according to the International Energy
Agency. Japan is the world’s second largest net importer of oil, after the United States.

The Piracy Reporting Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, said 111 ships were attacked last year
by  pirates in the gulf and along the coast of Somalia. And while international shippers say
the presence of the naval vessels has helped deter attacks, the reporting center said Friday
that 33 ships have been hit in the gulf this year. Four have been hijacked and are being
held for ransom.

“In the short run the situation in the gulf has improved a lot,” Finn Brobersen, senior director
in charge of security for the Maersk shipping line, said in an interview from Copenhagen. “But
I don’t think there’s any silver bullet. Warships are not going to solve the root cause of the
problem, which is the government in Somalia. In the long run, the international community
has to deal with Somalia.”

There is growing evidence that boats most easily captured by pirates — slow vessels that sit
low in the water, with what is known as a low freeboard — are now avoiding the Gulf of Aden
and going around the Cape of Good Hope.

“If it’s a type of boat that’s vulnerable, then our policy is to go around Africa,” said Mr. Brobersen,
noting that Maersk has a wide range of merchant vessels, including container ships and
supertankers.

The re-rerouting adds about seven days of travel time, plus extra fuel and crew costs. But fuel
prices are down, and many ship owners are eager to avoid what they consider extortionate
Suez Canal fees. A single Maersk merchant ship, for example, can be charged $850,000 for one
passage through the canal.

“With canal fees so high, it’s now a viable option to go the long way,” said Tillman Kratz,
a senior consultant with the reinsurer Munich Re. “In the current economic climate, the bottom
line would even out.”

 

[Yrys]

What to do with a captured pirate, Tuesday, 10 March 2009

When pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia surged last year, the world sent its navies to tackle
the problem. But now that we are taking the pirates on, does anyone know what to do when we
catch them?

The Roman law-maker Cicero once dubbed them "enemies of all mankind". And certainly pirates
have long posed a major legal problem. It has become even more acute in recent months,
following the audacious attack last November on the world's largest supertanker, the Sirius Star,
off the coast of Somalia.

It is not just a question of headline-grabbing attacks on prestige ships. Vessels from states across
the developed and developing world face the threat of piracy from a new generation of pirates,
often from failed or failing states.

Jurisdiction

Piracy is what is known as a universal crime. That means that because the pirates commit
their crimes on the high seas, beyond any one country's jurisdiction, they are treated as a
threat to every country. In turn, each country may arrest pirates at sea and prosecute them
at home.

At least that is how it is supposed to work. In practice, whether a country can prosecute arrested
pirates depends on its own laws. It is a problem the Danish Navy came up against last September
when the flagship Absalon detained 10 suspected armed pirates in the seas off Somalia after they
had allegedly been attacking merchant ships.

"We were stuck with them," says Thomas Winkler, a legal expert at the Danish Foreign Ministry.
"We only have national criminal jurisdiction if the pirates are attacking a Danish ship or Danish
citizens. So we couldn't bring them to Denmark for prosecution. "We looked to other states,
but the evidence we had was not sufficient for these states. We had to set them free and land
them in a safe place on the shore of Somalia."

Labyrinth

The Danes are not alone. The German authorities had to release suspected pirates just before
Christmas.

BBC Radio 4's Law in Action has discovered that on two occasions last year, the Royal Navy
also released pirate suspects after confiscating their equipment. Some other navies are
reluctant to detain the pirates they catch for fear of becoming legally responsible for them.

The problem is particularly acute with Somalia because it lacks an effective criminal justice s
ystem. According to Rear Admiral Philip Jones, who heads the European Union's piracy task
force Operation Atalanta, when a navy intervenes to stop a pirate attack, they often do not
know whether the pirates they catch can be prosecuted.

"That depends on where we find them, on the nationality of the ship that arrests them, on the
nationality of the pirates themselves and the circumstances in which they are arrested. "There
is a different response available in almost every case."

Impunity?

The consequences of this legal labyrinth can be seen in official figures released by the US Navy
at the beginning of March. Out of the 238 suspected pirates investigated by navies operating off
Somalia, barely half were sent for prosecution. Most of them were released.

Even these figures overstate the number of pirates that actually face trial because they include
those handed over to the authorities in Puntland, the semi-autonomous region in the north-east
of Somalia from which most pirates come.

According to Roger Middleton, in-house expert on Somali piracy at the Royal Institute of
International Affairs, Chatham House, it is often unclear how long the pirates will stay in prison.
"Often not for very long," he says. "They either walk out or someone pays a bribe for them to be
released."

Of the 57 pirates caught by the French Navy so far, 45 have been handed over to the Puntland
authorities. The US Navy sent nine more pirates to Puntland at the beginning of March. That
means Puntland accounts for roughly half of the pirates reported to be facing prosecution.

Deal

In a bid to tackle the apparent impunity with which pirates can operate, the US and the EU have
both concluded deals with Somalia's neighbour Kenya to send pirates for prosecution there. Britain
sent eight suspected pirates to Kenya last November. The US is in the process of sending another
seven.

But is using Kenya as the first choice jurisdiction for prosecuting Somali pirates a viable long-term
solution?

The Kenyan Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula has insisted that Kenya will not become
a dumping ground for every Somali pirate captured on the high seas, despite the agreements.

And human rights groups have raised concerns about the standard of justice that pirate suspects
will face there. Ben Rawlence of Human Rights Watch says there are significant problems with
Kenya's justice system. "People are routinely beaten in jail. Trials are rarely free and fair. Judges
are highly susceptible to corruption," he claims.

However, the British government insists that the pirate suspects which it sends to Kenya will be
treated in accordance with the UK's human rights obligations.

Everybody agrees that the long-term solution to piracy off Somalia is an effective government in
Somalia with a well-resourced coast guard and a functional justice system. Until that happens -
and with civil strife in Somalia still acute - countries trying to combat piracy face huge problems
in bringing pirates to justice.


SOMALIA PIRACY
Map showing areas of pirate attacks

More than 100 attacks in 2008
42 successful hijackings in 2008
815 crew held hostage in 2008
6 ships currently held
Source: International Maritime Bureau, 2009

 

[geo]

Best thing to do from my perspective is to capture the Pirates, confiscate theyr guns, ammo & ship, give em enough for bus fare & drop the off someplace convenient.... like the stern

 

[Yrys]

I presume that the problem is that officially navy from an orderly country (democratic or not)
has to obey laws, so beaching pirates ain't possible. And unofficial acts would just open cans
of worms...

 

[Yrys]

Japan Joins Anti-Piracy Effort Despite Concerns

TOKYO (AP) — Two navy destroyers left Japan on Saturday to join an international anti-piracy
mission off the coast of Somalia, despite concerns that the country’s troops could be pressed
into combat in violation of the Japan’s pacifist Constitution.

The five-month deployment is the first overseas policing action for Japan’s military, which is
limited by the country’s post-World War II charter to defensive missions. The military’s forays
abroad have been largely restricted to refueling, airlifting and humanitarian activities.

The decision to join the fight against piracy has been controversial because opposition lawmakers
say Japanese ships could be drawn into combat or protecting foreign ships in an emergency.
Governing party members, however, have argued that the battle against piracy is more a
crime-fighting operation than a military one and therefore is not banned by the Constitution.

The two destroyers, the Sazanami and the Samidare, carrying two SH-60K patrol helicopters
and a pair of speedboats, are expected to reach Somali waters in early April. Together they
carry about 400 sailors, including specially trained commandos.

With about 1,000 people watching from the dock, a brass band played as the Japanese prime
minister, Taro Aso, saw the ships off. “It is well known that piracy is growing in the Gulf of Aden,”
Mr. Aso said. “We hope you will fulfill your mission and return safely.”

The authorities say marauding criminals in speedboats attacked more than 100 ships off Somalia’s
coast last year, including high-profile hijackings with multimillion-dollar ransom demands. Japan’s
ships can only be deployed to protect Japanese boats — about 2,000 of them pass through waters
near Somalia every year — and their crews. About 90 percent of Japan’s crude oil imports come
from the Middle East, according to the International Energy Agency, and Japan is the world’s
second largest net importer of oil, after the United States.

To allow the deployment, Japan’s cabinet also has approved a new anti-piracy bill, intended to relax
restrictions on the use of arms by personnel on navy ships if engaged by pirates and allow vessels
to escort foreign ships in danger.

Japan’s deployment comes as more than a dozen warships from several countries, including Britain,
the United States, France, China and Germany, are guarding the region. There were roughly 10 times
as many attacks in January and February this year as there were during the same months last year.

But while Somalia’s pirates are keeping up their attacks in one of the world’s most important shipping
routes, they are finding it harder to seize vessels in recent months, according to the International
Maritime Bureau.

The United States Fifth Fleet, which is based in Bahrain and patrols the region, said the decline in the
number of successful pirate attacks could be partly attributed to the increased number of warships in
the area — 15 to 20 at any one time.

 

[GAP]

Prepare To Repel Boarders
March 13, 2009
Article Link

The Somali pirates are having a harder time taking merchant ships for ransom. It’s not for lack of traffic. The Gulf of Aden, where most of the pirates operate, is one the busiest shipping lanes in the world (with nearly ten percent of world traffic). Each month, 1500-1600 ships pass the northern coast of Somalia. Last year, about one out of 200 ships was attacked. Because of that, the chances of getting attacked were so low that most crews did not pay much attention to it.
But the millions paid out in ransoms for the 42 ships that were taken, had to be paid for. Soon it was costing all ships an additional $20,000 in insurance, fuel and danger bonus costs to transit the 1,500 kilometer length of the Gulf of Aden. Owners incurred additional costs if one of their ships was seized, although insurance companies are willing to offer policies for that as well. So, in the past year, most owners have ordered their captains to prepare their crews for the possibility of pirate attacks while transiting the Gulf.

As a result, most merchant ships are more prepared for pirate attacks. They put on extra lookouts, especially at night, and often transit the 1,500 kilometer long Gulf of Aden at high speed (even though this costs them thousands of dollars in additional fuel). The pirates seek the slower moving, apparently unwary, ships, and go after them before they can speed up enough to get away. The international anti-piracy patrol offers convoy protection, but many ships don't want to halt and wait for a convoy to form. Ships that decide to proceed on their own, take additional precautions.

An example of these precautions can be seen in the experience of a Chinese cargo ship, the Zhenhua 4, last December. Back then, the ship was boarded by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden. The resolute crew retreated to their living quarters and called for help. As the pirates came aboard, the crew fought back with fire bombs and fire hoses, and refused to come out of the living quarters. The pirates fired at the crew, and were apparently perplexed at what to do. Meanwhile, a nearby Malaysian warship dispatched a helicopter, which shot at the pirates and caused them to flee in their speedboats. The crew of the Zhenhua 4 patched up the bullet holes and resumed their voyage.

The resistance on the Zhenhua 4 was no accident. The captain had worked out a drill to resist boarders, and had the crew rehearse it ten days before they were attacked. Moreover, the Chinese were aware that, on October 30th, 2007, a North Korean merchant ship, the Dai Hong Dan, was boarded by pirates off the coast of Somalia. The North Koreans managed to get off a distress message. The ship was in international waters, 108 kilometers off the coast, unloading sugar to smaller boats. This offshore unloading arrangement was supposed to protect the North Koreans from pirates. The pirates were actually armed guards hired to protect the crew from real pirates during this unloading operation. The North Koreans fought back, killed some of the pirates (and lost some crew members) and regained control of their ship.

The Internet have proved an invaluable tool for ships planning for the Aden run. Everyone knows of the measures used by the Zhenhua 4 and the North Koreans, but there are many more ideas that have not gotten much coverage in the mass media. For example, crews now make more use of the fire hoses, and collect large objects (sheets of metal, junked furniture and empty boxes) to be heaved overboard onto the pirate boats. Poles are fabricated for pushing away ladders pirates often use to get aboard. The captains and crew members on the Internet exchange techniques for training crews, and preparing "repel boarders" drills. Sailors that have been aboard captured ships, and spent months in captivity, relate what that experience was like, and let other sailors know what to expect. This encourages the merchant ship sailors to pay closer attention to the drills and techniques to be used to avoid capture in the first place. Captains pay particular attention to the use of speed and maneuvering successfully used to avoid the approaching pirate speedboats. This may not always enable the ships to escape, but it does provide time for the troops to get ready to repel the pirates attempting to board.
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