1/7/2024 0 Comments Dangerous pirate watersKidnap for ransom is also trending as it is much easier, quicker and often more profitable to take human cargo rather than the entire vessel - which may be difficult to house and control. Crews of some hijacked vessels have said that the pirates appear to know specific details about the ship including its layout. There has also been some suggestion that informants are providing access to ship information making it possible for pirates to locate target specific vessels, which may have cargo of value, in the vast expanses of the sea. These are all hugely valuable bits of information and it is not a leap to imagine how they might be used increasingly by pirates to scope out targets and plan their attack vectors. There are various ship tracking apps freely available online which include huge swaths of detail on potential targets including images of vessels, types of vessel i.e.: tanker or cargo vessel and their proposed routes. There is also anecdotal evidence of Somali pirates researching information on vessels and the counter measures being employed to combat them. It is impossible to estimate how widespread the use of this technology is but in one recorded hijacking incident in 2017, in the South China Sea, the pirates monitored the online Marine Traffic system and used the Ship Finder app to follow the movements of the targeted ship. There have been incidents however of pirates utilising open source intelligence and modern technology, specifically online tracking apps and surveillance equipment to target vessels. In the vast expanse of the ocean pirates may just pick the first vessel they come across. Victims of piracy are often simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Further, attacks are also becoming increasingly common during daylight hours. In these incidents, smaller ships are working in conjunction with a larger mothership that carries fuel, supplies and ammunition. There are also incidents recorded as far as 400 nautical miles from the shoreline. We are typically seeing attacks take place between 45 and 75 nautical miles out to sea. Where pirates have evolved is their capability to target ships at increasing distances from the coastline. To mitigate against this, vessels have long been warned not to drop anchor in high-risk areas and are increasingly being advised of the dangers of even drifting in these zones. It involves attacking vessels from astern, often at night, using grappling hooks and ropes to board the ship before anyone raises the alarm. The traditional modus operandi for pirates has not evolved dramatically over the years. The IMB's Piracy Reporting Centre recorded 98 incidents of piracy and armed robbery in the first half of 2020, up from 78 in the first half of 2019. This fall in numbers is – at face value – a global trend, with incidents of piracy falling worldwide in recent years.Ģ020 is, however, on course to buck this downward trend. Though it is considered that the decisive factor was a concerted effort to improve security measures aboard vessels, particularly through the use of armed guards. Since then, the region has managed to significantly reduce numbers of piracy incidents, in part due to surveillance from the air and sea, and an increased international cooperation between countries' navies. Somali waters are perhaps the most well-known location of the modern-day pirates, largely due to headlines generated during the 2000s. Stamping out piracy is an ongoing battle, but in recent years we have seen some positive trends. Pirates in the twenty first century, however, are more familiar with semi-automatic weapons than a cutlass, while their treasure is less gold doubloons than hostages and the latest electric goods.Īccording to the International Maritime Bureau (“IMB”), piracy can be defined as “the act of boarding any vessel with intent to commit theft or any other crime, and with an intent or capacity to use force in furtherance of that act”. Piracy has existed for as long as there has been maritime trade it conjures images of sail ships, the jolly roger, treasure and buccaneers on the seven seas.
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