Page 48: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (June 2006)

48 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News signed an agreement that allows the naval forces of the participating coun- tries to chase pirates across each other's borders — after obtaining permission from the host nation. This "border trans- parency" takes away a shelter that pirates have long exploited, the inability of foreign naval vessels to chase pirates in the territorial waters of another nation. The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which was rati- fied by 145 nations (but not the U.S.), allows states to seize pirate ships on the high seas and determine a penalty at their own discretion.

These four countries, in an operation dubbed "Eyes in the Sky", have also agreed to provide air assets to jointly patrol the straits. Zurich Financial

Services, another multi-national compa- ny with significant maritime ties, report- ed on their web site that: "According to an article in Insurance Day on January 19, 2006, this "Eyes in the Sky" initia- tive compliments joint naval patrols that were introduced in the summer of 2004.

The article goes on to note that "the increased presence seems to have paid off, as the number of piracy attacks in the Strait decreased in 2005 compared with previous years." Thirdly, maritime companies need to take aggressive steps to promote ship self-defense and crew anti-terrorism training. The numbers of schools offering anti-piracy defense tac- tics have grown steadily, as has the liter- ature surrounding anti-piracy opera- tions. One of the most anticipated books related to this topic will be published by

Steven Bronson. Bronson, who is well- known in police and anti-terrorism train- ing circles will publish "Maritime

Counterterrorism and Anti-Piracy:

Prevention, Critical Response, and

Investigation (ISBN: 0849314313)" in

June 2006. Enhancements to vessel self-defense should be rewarded by rec- ognized insurance companies through credits or rate adjustments based on the layers of defense that merchant vessels implement. For example if ship self- defense and surveillance systems are installed and fully operational credit may be provided. Additionally, if crews attend and pass rigorous training pro- grams in anti-piracy methods, that train- ing should be rewarded through premi- um discounts or other methods.

Finally, there needs to be acceptance that despite the best concerted efforts of defense, security and law enforcement agencies piracy is a life-threatening challenge for the maritime industry.

This idea was captured extremely well by then United States Navy Secretary

Gordon England. England, while addressing the Woodrow Wilson

International Center for Scholars, noted that "The seas are un-policed and unreg- ulated and, therefore, attractive to those who want to exploit or abuse them".

Adding that "On average, more than one ship each day is attacked, robbed, hijacked or sunk." The now Assistant

Secretary of Defense, acknowledged the actual growth in piracy events as "more than 56 percent in recent years," which is an alarming trend. The maritime transportation industry must object to the concept that losses incurred from piracy is a simple cost of doing business.

Piracy is arguably intensifying through the present policy of passive acceptance.

This, in turn, will involve aggressive enforcement actions by the security forces of all maritime nations and an aggressive self-defense posture on board merchant ships to stem the rising tide of piracy.

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Piracy Incidents Drop in 2005

According to the Annual Piracy Report, 2005 reveals an increase of pirate activ- ity in Somalia, Tanzania and Vietnam. Somalia recorded 35 reported attacks in 2005 compared to just two in 2004. The increased attacks now rank Somalia num- ber two after Indonesia in the table of world piracy risk prone areas and declares

Somali waters the most dangerous in Africa.

According to the report a total of 23 vessels were hijacked in 2005, the highest in four years. 440 crewmembers were taken hostage in 2005, the highest number since IMB started compiling statistics in 1992. The hostages were taken in inci- dents in Somalia, Indonesia and Nigeria. Despite a rise in attacks in some areas, the number of reported piracy attacks for 2005 fell from 329 in 2004 to 276 in 2005, the lowest recorded figure in six years. According to the report no crewmem- bers were killed in acts of piracy last year — though 12 remain missing.

Despite accounting for nearly 30% of all reported attacks, figures for Indonesia show a drop from 94 reported attacks in 2004 to 79 attacks in 2005. Attacks in the

Malacca Straits fell from 38 in 2004 to 12 attacks in 2005. Malaysia, Thailand,

Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Haiti, Nigeria and Guinea also all recorded a fall in the number of reported piracy and armed robbery attacks.

On a trial basis, IMB is offering the report free of charge. To request a PDF ver- sion of the report by email, please visit: http://www.icc-ccs.org.uk/prc/piracy_rep_app.php

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