Pirates - Piracy on the high seas around the world.

[pilotdane]

I am glad to hear that a pirate attack on a Chinese ship off the Somali coast failed. And the Chinese are considering sending warships to the region.

Here is a link to the MSNBC article describing the incident.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28281953/

[pakarang]

Yesterday, I also saw that the UN Security Council has eventually decided that they will - with Navy ships - pursue and hunt for any pirate vessels or suspicious looking vessels off the Somailian coast, and go as far as even follow them onto Somalian land if so be required.

That is what I like to hear, now I want to see them chase these people into oblivion.

[Ralf__]

I am following this discussion during the past weeks in Germany and there are now a lot of regulations, how our people are allowed to act there... luckily the pirates don't know the details, maybe the would fall off their boats while laughing...

Very interesting that even the cruise companies won't change their routes because of the costs! Our government warned the passengers to change their plans and they were accused by the companies because of business damage!

This is a crazy situation. Reminds me at the Wells Fargo times...

[pakarang]

Fred. Olsen Cruise Ship Avoids Pirate Attack

Fred. Olsen's Balmoral was put on piracy alert last night after the cruise ship "encountered suspicious activity by two small craft" in the Gulf of Aden, according to a company statement. At 7:45 p.m. on 3 March, radar observed the two vessels closing in on Balmoral at high speed.

Passengers were assembled in "'safe havens' as part of a pre-planned safety procedure," according to the statement; at press time, a spokesperson for the line has not been able to confirm exactly where on the ship passengers were assembled.

The statement says that "aggressive manoeuvring" was implemented. A spokesperson for the line tells us that there was no gun firing, and, due to security concerns, cannot explain exactly what kind of aggressive tactics were employed. Also, the ship made contact with the EU Coalition Task Force, which patrols the Gulf of Aden in an effort to combat piracy.

At 8:45 p.m., an EU warship confirmed that the area surrounding Balmoral was clear, and the piracy alert was effectively called off.

Balmoral is in midst of its world cruise, which departed Dover on 14 February. The ship is currently en route to its next port, Salalah, Oman, and will call on 5 March as scheduled.

Before this, the most recent piracy attempt took place in November 2008, when Oceania's Nautica successfully evaded two small skiffs deemed potentially hostile. Since then, the U.N. Security Council has passed a U.S.-sponsored resolution allowing countries currently working with Somalia to combat piracy in the area to attack pirates on land and from Somali airspace.

--by Melissa Baldwin Paloti, Managing Editor, and Kelly Ranson, U.K. Editor

[SaintsFCFan]

Holy smokes!! That has to be a scary part of the world these days. Would the passengers have known what was happening? Or would they just be told they were doing saftey drills?

[pilotdane]

I assume that the cruise line would be honest. Piracy has made the headlines too many times to be kept secret. I also think the passengers would behave more civily if they know there is a possible pirate attack. If told it were just a drill there would be people lined up at anyones desk complaining how the drill ruined their once of a lifetime trip, and what compensation they should receive for the inconvenience.

[Steve.B]

I have read that Fred. Olsen have now removed the Balmoral from the live tracking part of their website. I think this is a very good idea. Modern technology can be a doubled edged sword, with web tracking of ships - AIS etc, we can all enjoy tracking the progress of ships, but it also hands on a plate a great deal of information to the pirates. Im not sure, but does AIS disclose a ships cargo?. Even if it does not, AIS is a very powerful tool for the pirates, with it they can track a potential victim and head out on a converging course.

I also feel that ship owners and operators that have ships passing through these danger areas should arrange to have security personnel aboard. It may sound a bit far fetched, and may be expensive, but lets face it, if your a pirate in your small high speed craft, can you imagine coming alongside a wall of steel with some armed guards looking down on you from a commanding position several metres above you? I don't think they would hang around. It may sound an expensive option, but cheap when you consider the cost of paying a ransom of several $million.

[Seagull]

I have read that Fred. Olsen have now removed the Balmoral from the live tracking part of their website. I think this is a very good idea. Modern technology can be a doubled edged sword, with web tracking of ships - AIS etc, we can all enjoy tracking the progress of ships, but it also hands on a plate a great deal of information to the pirates. . .

It could also be the “thin end of the wedge” for a fascinating and enjoyable hobby interest. Every time I hear about such things, for example restrictions to access in the vicinity of port areas, or simply photographing a ship being regarded as a suspicious activity, I am thinking “the terrorists have won”.

[ehp]

I'm thinking some pretty un-compassionate, un-Buddhist like thoughts right now...

I forget from out last piracy thread....do cruise ships in the area take on "protection" in this area? They need to allow skeet shooting onboard once more...hmmmm world cruisers with 12-gauge shotguns...............

[Steve.B]

They need to allow skeet shooting onboard once more...hmmmm world cruisers with 12-gauge shotguns...............

Now that's a good idea, would not cost a penny either!

[Steve.B]

It could also be the “thin end of the wedge” for a fascinating and enjoyable hobby interest. Every time I hear about such things, for example restrictions to access in the vicinity of port areas, or simply photographing a ship being regarded as a suspicious activity, I am thinking “the terrorists have won”.

I agree with your thoughts also, i know for example that a few of the places around Southampton water where you used to be able to photograph the arrival of ships are now 'no go' area's.
With regards to AIS, I think it's a brilliant thing in 90% of the world, what about the idea of turning off the transponders for ship's that are going to travel through vulnerable area's? Ok, the pirates would still know what ships were heading their way, but in many cases they would no longer know for certain exactly which course that vessel would be taking, and the exact time of arrival in their area. But at the end of the day I think the only real answer is for more policing of known 'hot spots', or for ships to carry their own security measures.

[Oistein]

The Norwegian frigate KNM Fridtjof Nansen will be in the waters from the start of August 2009.

KNM Fridtjof Nansen


Sterkoder, I used your version of the picture.

[ehp]

Every time I hear about such things, for example restrictions to access in the vicinity of port areas, or simply photographing a ship being regarded as a suspicious activity, I am thinking “the terrorists have won”.

Oh, I SOOO agree with you, Seagull. Every time I start to rethink my going ANYWHERE, I try to give myself a mental "kick" so that the terrorists don't win. For example, I caught myself thinking twice about going up to the top of the Empire State Building last time I was in New York--it was a gorgeous clear night.....and I got really mad at myself.

There are awful people in the world. We can't let them win. Oh, I'm about to go on one of my "rants"--so I will stop right here.....

[pakarang]

A good compilation of stuff on piracy and some shocking images:

http://www.cargolaw.com/2008nightmare_mv.faina.html

[ehp]

That's just a waaayyy cool summary. That sneering --um--jerk in the fatigues just makes me want to slap him..........so hard to imagine that those small boats can take over such a huge tanker.............but they do......grrrrrrrr

[ehp]

They're at it again... from CNN this morning...

(CNN) -- Pirates attacked a Japanese cargo ship off the coast of Somalia on Sunday, a Japanese Transportation Ministry official said.

A pair of small pirate vessels fired on a ship operated by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines about 4 p.m. Somali time (9 a.m. ET), damaging the front of the ship, but not seriously, according to Masami Suekado.

There were no injuries.

The exact number and makeup of the crew were not immediately known, although none of the crew members is Japanese, Suekado said.

Pirating off Somalia has increase over the past four or five years as fishermen from Somalia realize that pirating is more lucrative.

The crime, which is hard to prevent, has raised concerns internationally.

In 2008, pirates attacked nearly 100 vessels and hijacked as many as 40 off Somalia, according to the International Maritime Bureau.

In response, a number of countries have deployed ships from their navies to the region, including the United States, China and Japan.

Two Japanese destroyers set sail earlier this month on an anti-piracy mission off Somalia, the Japanese defense ministry said.

[Remarc]

Canadian warships working the area are HMCS Ville de Québec http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/villede.../0/0-s_eng.asp , HMCS Calgary http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/calgary/0/0-s_eng.asp , HMCS Iroquois http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/iroquois/0/0-s_eng.asp and HMCS Protecteur http://www.navy.forces.gc.ca/protecteur/0/0-s_eng.asp . They are serving on Operation Altair as part of Task Force Arabian Sea.

[Gaelsail]

pirates have seized this Norwegian tanker according to the BBC news

[pakarang]

pirates have seized this Norwegian tanker according to the BBC news

And this one was hijacked much further south... was it 450 miles or so off the coast? That is far out and well outside the previously determined dangerous area. I wonder if these are the same pirates or if the activity has spread to other parts around Africa.

I certainly hope the warships heading that way will blow them out of the water soon.

[ehp]

I certainly hope the warships heading that way will blow them out of the water soon.

But Jan, what about the crews? Or do you mean a preemptive strike?

Crystal's World Cruise 2010 is supposed to sail up that way from Cape Town to Mumbai via Tanzania. My mom and I have been kicking around the idea of that segment....but I don't know.... I wonder if Crystal will re-think it?????

It's that whole terrorist mentality sneaking into my brain....grrrrrr.....