Piracy: is there light at the end of this tunnel?

NATO – ASI Prediction and Recognition of Piracy Efforts Using Collaborative Human-Centric Information Systems 27.9.2011 – Salamanca – Spain

Dominique Cant - DP World Belgium

It’s the economy stupid ! (Bill Clinton 1992)

• Securing the Supply Chain

• Pirates threatens a supply lane of vital interests

to the international community!

• Acts of piracy costing world trade approx. 10 billion $ annually.

• Almost impossible to calculate the human cost for those held

for ransom for extended periods of time.

• 266 pirate acts attacks in the first six months of 2011,

compared to 196 accidents in the same period in 2010.

• 60% by Somali pirates

• 361 sailors took hostage and 13 kidnapped in first six

months of 2011

• 99 vessels boarded & 76 were fired upon

• As of 30.6.2011 Somali pirates were holding 20 vessels

& 420 crew members and demanding ransoms of

millions of dollars for their release.

• We have become familiar with the term ‘ asymmetric warfare ‘ in environments such as Iraq, Afghanistan.

• An asymmetric conflict at sea is a comparatively new development because:

• Pirates are operating from small fishing craft using outboard motors.• Poorly equipped with most rudimentary of tools.

• An AK 47 and a ladder.

• Sharp contrast with sophisticated vessel tracking ( AIS, ..) radar & communications systems.

But pirates have shown remarkable degrees of adaptability:

•“ pack tactics “ in gangs of skiffs

•Supported by lager vessels and mother ships to enable to

re-supply the ships in deep international waters.

• Professional organisation, supply & logistics ?

•Increase of more violent methods of attack.

• Automatic weapons

• Rocket propelled grenade launchers

• Supply & Traceability of weapons by whom?

• This demonstrates that :

• Pirates are not only re-investing the money in weapons.

• They are now more willing to risk greater international

reprisals for their increasingly violent attacks.

• Warefare is a stupid way of doing business. (Eisenhower)

Pirates tactics are succesfull because :

Ironically, merchant vessels have increased autonomy and

reliability, but the crews have been reduced which makes

them more vulnerable to even small contingents of armed

pirates!

To counter this problem some merchant vessels have:

•Armed guards on board at considerable cost

•Short-time tactic and due to the cost the objective of

achieving savings through smaller ship crews is defeated !

•Armed guards present some more complex legal issues

depending on the flage state of the vessel

• Who is reponsible to whom?

• Regulation and standards of armed security firms are

still very much under debate

• What if lethal force was used in error?

Industry are emerging a real answer to vessel protection

•Ultimately the use of lethal force should be selected as a last resort.

•Non-lethal protective measures can help to create a ‘ layered ‘ and proportional defence around a vulnerable vessel.

•Main issue:

• How to avoid pirates coming on board of a ship?

• How to buy crucial time to alert authorities?

A Pr-disaster as a result of the reckless use of lethal

Weapons is certain to be catastrophic to a shipping

company’s reputation!

Conclusion:

•Armed guards may well provide some of the solution,

particullary in ‘ hot spots ‘ of pirate attacks, in the long

term the use of armed guards will almost certainly be

too prohibitive.

( They will become a part of the problem ! )

Technological solutions will provide the long-term security

for the future for the maritime merchant industry, because

hoping that the problems of poverty and lack of proper

governance in these countries can easily and quickly be

fixed is ( very? ) naïve.

Ship hardening with a mixture of long-range and short-range

deterrents can effectively dissuade pirates from attack as ship.

But what is needed more urgently:

•A concerted, co-ordinated and sustained effort by

international naval forces

• Intercept attacks

• Capture ‘ mother ships ‘

• Severely punish those caught and convicted of piracy?

Only when the threat posed by piracy is recognised and aproper strategy is formulated for crushing it will resources bemade free to actually do so.

UN Secretary-General Ban KI-moon:• The decision to address this issue is timely and important• The response must be orchestrated

• Concerted & coordinated international effort

•Until then, we will only see attacks increasing in both number and violance!

• Ransom payments adding up to hundred of millions of dollars have create a ‘ pirate economy ‘ .Economies throughout Africa are experiencing the fall out.

• Although piracy manifests itself at sea the roots of the problem are to be found ashore: Piracy is a criminal offence driven by economic hardship. It flourishes in the absence of effective law-enforcement.

• Ground forces to cleam up the mess.

• Help the people to establish a ‘ normal ‘ government structure

• First things first: utilities,water,electricity, food.

• Mobile network is a don’t need to have !

The six primary objectives of IMO’s 2011 action plan:

• Increase pressure at the political level to secure the release of all hostages being held by pirates.

• Review and improve the IMO Guidelines to administrations and seafarers and promote compliance with industry best management practive and the recommended preventive, evasive and defensive measures ships should follow.

• Recommended lecture:

• IMO-MSC1/Circ 1405-23.5.2011

• GAO-report to US Congress – september 2011 – Progrss made

• in implementing homeland security missions 10 years after 9/11

• Promote greater levels of support from, and coordination with navies.

• Promote anti-piracy coordination and cooperation procedures between en among states, regions, organisations and the ( maritime) industry.

• Assist states to build capacity in piracy-infested regions of the world and, elsewhere, to deter, interdict and bring to justice those who commits acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships.

• Provide care for those attacked or hijacked by pirates and for their families.

He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot, will be victorious. Sun Tzu

If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near. Sun Tzu

Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster. Sun Tzu

Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance. Sun Tzu

Thanks for your attention.

Any reasonable questions ?

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