How navies can more effectively combat Somali pirates

Stopping the payment of ransoms would stop piracy quite quick.

Sending special forces after the pirates on their home turf would help.

Nic

Things are turning nasty down there…

Somali pirates keep Indian hostages after ransom

By ABDI GULED and KATHARINE HOURELD, Associated Press Abdi Guled And Katharine Houreld, Associated Press – 44 mins ago

MOGADISHU, Somalia – In a move that could change the pirate-hostage equation, Somali pirates on Friday took in a multimillion dollar ransom, then released the ship and some of the crew but kept all the Indian crew members as hostages.

A pirate told The Associated Press the Indian crew members’ hostage ordeal is being prolonged in retaliation for the arrests of more than 100 Somali pirates by the Indian Navy.

“We decided to keep the Indian because India is holding our colleagues,” the pirate, Hassan Farah, said. “We released the other crew members who sailed away from our coast. We will keep these Indians until the Indians release our colleagues.”

Farah said the pirates in the stronghold of Haradhere have taken that collective decision. The Indian hostages are to be moved to land.

A multimillion dollar ransom was paid for the ship Asphalt Venture, whose ownership is located in Mumbai, India. Pirates are receiving an average of $5 million to release ships and crew, and a ransom in that ballpark was believed to have been paid on Friday.

It wasn’t immediately clear how many of the 15 crew members aboard the Asphalt Venture were Indian. The ship was hijacked in late September.

Friday’s pirate action marks a major departure from the standard pirate business model of release-for-ransom and could complicate international military efforts against the piracy trade.

Earlier this year pirates killed four American hostages while U.S. Navy warships were shadowing the hijacked yacht, the first time pirates had done that.

Overall, analysts say pirates are becoming increasingly aggressive, violent and hostile.

The Indian navy has seized around 120 pirates, mostly from Somalia, over the past few months. Last month the Indian navy captured 61 pirates when they attacked a naval ship. Indian warships have been escorting merchant ships as part of international anti-piracy surveillance in the Indian Ocean area since 2008.

Piracy has long plagued the shipping industry off East Africa, but violence has escalated in recent months. Pirates held some 30 ships and more than 600 hostages

Shotguns would be a better alternative to machine guns, as they are very cheap to buy and maintain and most countries, even those with quite strict firearms regulations, will have no issues with them coming into port. Obviously they aren’t as effective as a machine gun, but they are much more feasible to implement. Rifles would be another option, but could encounter more regulatory issues. I doubt even the US would want ships with deck mounted machine guns cruising through places like NYC.

The weapons would be handed over at sea to the coast guards or they would have a lockers with seals — ie one locker for the bolts and the other for the heavy machine guns. They would only be armed in areas where the pirates were known to operate. But more important the UN would have to pass a rules of engagement. Basically if a skiff approaches to one area (so many meters) it is a warning shots. The second line you die. It is a deadline as they say in the American Civil War. But we still have the problem of the merchant ships they have and the crews. Especially that LGN which should have had a naval escort. It is one huge bomb, that al Qaeda would love to take.

Jack E. Hammond

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Folks,

Unless you are ready to engage in what the Geneva Convention 1949 (enforceable since 1954) calls genocidal warfare, the type of boats and aircraft, etc do not matter. What is needed is a manual on who and what is a pirate vessel in those waters. Just as the Royal Navy in the 1800s had an anti-piracy book (ie according to that book you could go up the yardarm fast with a hunk of rope around your neck, for just have cooking faculties that a boat of that size and crew would never require — ie a lot of iron chains and iron collars would have been just “jelly on the biscuit” to the RN ship and crew that pulled you over). To wit, for example crewing one of those sea skiffs with two motors is ok. But with two high powered motors and extra feul you is a pirate. And video evidence of you throwing RPG-7s and heavy machine guns over board still makes you a pirate.

Basically this manual needs to be compiled and voted on by the UN Security Council and also giving permission for any nations navy to court martial anyone that manual deems is a pirate.

Also the UN Security Council needs to tell Egypt that no large merchant vessel can traverse the Suez Canal unless it is armed. And not just uber loud speakers and fire hoses. Basically have armed merchant crews at the Suez Canal with heavy machine guns that can be bolted to decks and out in the Indian Ocean a ship they can leave the merchant and board for transfer back to the Suez Canal. And have a good threat against Lloyds of London if they interfere in the arming of merchant vessels against pirates.

Finally, but all this will not solve the problem of the large number of vessels the Somalia pirates have, especially the crews. And then their is the problem of the rich idiots (Jesus freaks or otherwise) who think going for a Sunday stroll near Somalia — ie even with little kids aboard — to ask the Lion to open his mouth so they can stick their head in and dare him to shut it!!!!!

Jack E. Hammond

Btw> A few have noticed. But the pirates seem to be leaving most Muslim shipping alone. A Saudi tanker got seized and it was released without a ransom being paid. In addition, the Muslim nations in that area have a lot of patrol warships. Egypt especially. But all they send are token ships, that do very little. Something smells.
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Shotguns would be a better alternative to machine guns, as they are very cheap to buy and maintain and most countries, even those with quite strict firearms regulations, will have no issues with them coming into port. Obviously they aren’t as effective as a machine gun, but they are much more feasible to implement. Rifles would be another option, but could encounter more regulatory issues. I doubt even the US would want ships with deck mounted machine guns cruising through places like NYC.

Dear Anixtu,

What kind of vessels are they and where at they flagged. As to the Saudis, they did not pay ransom. And they were released. And I have a hunch Saudi vessels ply that area without problems now. And the Arab Muslim nations have more reason to take drastic action against the pirates than any other nations and have not? Why????? Reality is some kind of “fix” or “semi-fix” is in, just as it was in the 1800s. Not written or money, etc. (remember the money comes through handlers — ie mainly Yemen — out side of Somalia) but an understanding. The pirates know there are some lines they should not cross. It is sort of like the Pakistani intelligence in Afghanistan, etc. They are playing both sides.

Also, does anyone know if the Somalia pirates are still hijacking Russian vessels. Don’t know if it is true, but I heard they used the same anti-piracy measure against some hijackers, that they did when some West African pirates hijacked a Russian merchant vessel in the 1970s not knowing most Russian merchant vessels have arms. Piracy against Russian merchant vessels came to a stop suddenly. Basically it was “Hijackers? What hijackers. We took the weapons and let them go.” the statement being made with a big grin on their faces.

Jack E. Hammond

BTW> Indonesia use to be a serious problem with Pirates. Till the nations around Indonesia (including Muslim Malaysia) that economically Indonesia was going to get blacklisted. Then Indonesia decided to help work on the problem.
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The reality is very, very few large Muslim flagged vessel are held. And when the pirates seized that one large Saudi tanker, it was soon released without payment and I am sorry about that.

From the list at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ships_attacked_by_Somali_pirates_in_2010 I count 7 ships flagged or owned in a predominantly muslim state as having been captured and held for ransom out of 47 vessels attacked in 2010. It’s only Wikipedia, so perhaps you can find a more accurate or reliable source.

You may wish to cross reference with https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2108rank.html for an indication of what portion of the world’s merchant shipping is flagged in a muslim state. Saudi Arabia has the world’s 58th largest merchant fleet.

I do wonder though where the owners of the Al Nisr al Saudi went wrong for their ship to be held by pirates for 9 months since, as you say, all Saudi ships are released promptly.

Dear Members,

Ah, this thread is to be politically correct I see. What since WW2 has actually dragged the Muslim world backwards more than anything else. And don’t forget the word “Nazi” in your reply.

Yes, I know about Malaysia. Malaysia is one of those strange birds in the Muslim world. Some in Somalia area do not even know they are Muslim. But when the US and other countries went into Somalia, Malaysia sent forces that meant business. Pakistan was already their staying out of harms way and Saudi Arabia sent its only parachute unit and when told they were needed in city south of Mogadishu they refused and went to a safe area. But that Malaysian Army unit with APCs pulled out all stops when the Rangers got trapped in that famous battle in Mogadishu, while Pakistan with the needed heavy tanks refused to help. But I am not a true believer (true believers are dead to reality).

Also, in Malaysia history they had a horrible time with Moro Pirates (ie some ignored the rule on leaving Muslim vessels alone, but the usually did not make them slaves or rowers, only held them for ransom) in the 1800s. Then came along James Brooke with his small steam vessel, the Chinese, head hunters and assorted people you would not invited home for supper. The headhunters especially which the Moros thought was not cricket. Brooke had his supporters in England and then he had others in England similar to today who thought me was a tad rough, ignoring the fact that in past decades the Moro pirates when being chased by a British or Dutch Navy warships, just started slitting throats of the rowers one at a time and throwing the bodies one at a time over board. But one member of the House of Commons put it perfect: “James Brooke’s sympathies are with the victims, Gladstone’s with the pirates.”

The reality is very, very few large Muslim flagged vessel are held. And when the pirates seized that one large Saudi tanker, it was soon released without payment and I am sorry about that. And I do not have access to the rates, but I would bet good money that the maritime insurance rates for Muslim flagged tankers and merchants (ie small ones don’t carry insurance) are a lot lower than other merchant vessel. Also, no Muslim country in the region — even though it is their back yard — will establish laws so they can be tried in their nations. Only Kenya will do it. And Kenya is probably doing it for the foreign aid. And always remember why piracy which was rampant in that same area was at last stopped. It was not the various Muslim countries that stopped it (ie they did the exact opposite) but the same item that put a stop to the black (oops another PC button) slave trade at considerable cost in money and lives which the world basically has ignored: The BRITISH ROYAL NAVY. The Sultans were not to happy about how the British Navy ignored the unwritten rules of the area and rubbed their noses in it. Some of the British RN ship captains (most of them were young ensigns — eg who were as one newspaper reporter stated “The most bloody minded bunch in the world.”) hired some of the freed slaves from the slaver dowels as crew members like the RN did on the west coast of Africa). They did not think that was proper at all. None at all. But strangely when the British Navy put a stop to both piracy and slavery, the economy of all the nations, etc increased dramatically. Something many historians ignore today — like they ignore the actual reason piracy came to an end in the Mediterranean (talk about a PC button that is a big one).

As to the small vessels, the money is in the big ones. Last count the Somalis hold six small vessels, mostly dowels. And I suspect they are going to be used as mother ships. Yes, sometimes they take a mother ship on the high seas and then kill the crew, but they are business men first and foremost. Many of them willingly act as a mother ship actually being paid and sail on their merry way afterwords.

As to the solution, if the UN Security council passes a Pirate Manual, the various nations patrolling in that area can set up Q-ships. Small vessels looking like Korean or Taiwanese fishing ships. But hidden with guns, etc. And when the pirates attack the intention is not to capture the pirates either.

Finally, but the serious problem even if the UN Security Council passes a resolution with teeth and a Pirates Manual, is the vessels and the crews the pirates are holding now. And today the pirates are holding one LNG tanker. And that is one huge bomb.

Jack E. Hammond

PS> Now is the world wanted to be really mean, it could enforce a no-flying zone over Somalia and force down and strafe those small aircraft flying in from Yemen. About a week with the pirates going without Kat….nope forget that one they would start executing — or worst before killing them — the crews they hold. As I stated a tough problem. But eventually something horrible will happen. I mean more horrible than the deaths of those four. Then something will be done. Cry’s of racists, barbarians, etc withstanding.

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Also the UN Security Council needs to tell Egypt that no large merchant vessel can traverse the Suez Canal unless it is armed. And not just uber loud speakers and fire hoses. Basically have armed merchant crews at the Suez Canal with heavy machine guns that can be bolted to decks and out in the Indian Ocean a ship they can leave the merchant and board for transfer back to the Suez Canal.
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The pirates don’t limit themselves to ships which have passed through the canal. Some of the ships hijacked have been on the Cape route, some have been in transit between E or SE Asia, & Africa or the Middle East.

And what about small vessels?

……

Jack E. Hammond

Btw> A few have noticed. But the pirates seem to be leaving most Muslim shipping alone. A Saudi tanker got seized and it was released without a ransom being paid. In addition, the Muslim nations in that area have a lot of patrol warships. Egypt especially. But all they send are token ships, that do very little. Something smells.
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That sounds like a racist comment, especially as it’s backed up by very little evidence.

On the other hand, the Royal Malaysian Navy has been active against the pirates recently: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/1/22/nation/7852232&sec=nation

Folks,

Unless you are ready to engage in what the Geneva Convention 1949 (enforceable since 1954) calls genocidal warfare, the type of boats and aircraft, etc do not matter. What is needed is a manual on who and what is a pirate vessel in those waters. Just as the Royal Navy in the 1800s had an anti-piracy book (ie according to that book you could go up the yardarm fast with a hunk of rope around your neck, for just have cooking faculties that a boat of that size and crew would never require — ie a lot of iron chains and iron collars would have been just “jelly on the biscuit” to the RN ship and crew that pulled you over). To wit, for example crewing one of those sea skiffs with two motors is ok. But with two high powered motors and extra feul you is a pirate. And video evidence of you throwing RPG-7s and heavy machine guns over board still makes you a pirate.

Basically this manual needs to be compiled and voted on by the UN Security Council and also giving permission for any nations navy to court martial anyone that manual deems is a pirate.

Also the UN Security Council needs to tell Egypt that no large merchant vessel can traverse the Suez Canal unless it is armed. And not just uber loud speakers and fire hoses. Basically have armed merchant crews at the Suez Canal with heavy machine guns that can be bolted to decks and out in the Indian Ocean a ship they can leave the merchant and board for transfer back to the Suez Canal. And have a good threat against Lloyds of London if they interfere in the arming of merchant vessels against pirates.

Finally, but all this will not solve the problem of the large number of vessels the Somalia pirates have, especially the crews. And then their is the problem of the rich idiots (Jesus freaks or otherwise) who think going for a Sunday stroll near Somalia — ie even with little kids aboard — to ask the Lion to open his mouth so they can stick their head in and dare him to shut it!!!!!

Jack E. Hammond

Btw> A few have noticed. But the pirates seem to be leaving most Muslim shipping alone. A Saudi tanker got seized and it was released without a ransom being paid. In addition, the Muslim nations in that area have a lot of patrol warships. Egypt especially. But all they send are token ships, that do very little. Something smells.
.

Somalia is a Muslim country, and many of its more “active” populace are sympathetic to the more radical factions of Islam.

The Americans were traveling with their cargo bins full of Bibles to give out.

So, that makes it alright to kill them? I mean, can I go kill Jehova’s witnesses at my doorstep now?

Somalia is a Muslim country, and many of its more “active” populace are sympathetic to the more radical factions of Islam.

The Americans were traveling with their cargo bins full of Bibles to give out.

There was a general concern that this might anger the “pirates” and lead to a tragedy like this.

Thanks for the links, very interesting read.

Although I am a little surprised by some aspects. Such as how the EU seem to think two frigates can only protect two ships each. What? 😮

And how pirates managed to take a ship under convoy protection.

How did they managed to even get close without being detected and challenged never mind launch a successful attack? And if it was a case of two frigates protecting two ships each when this happened, then that really looks bad.

On a related but more sober note, more bad news from Somalia

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12541297

Seems like a very strange case with many unanswered questions.

Although I hope the 11 captured pirates gets tried for murder in a state with the death penalty to serve as a warning to their chums about the consequences of killing unarmed hostages.:mad:

Really? I have not heard this before, do you have any sources with more information on this?

Unfortunately, the link no longer works, but I’m sure some Googling will find something more:

On call Convoy requests on the rise
Justin Stares Brussels – Tuesday 4 November 2008

THE European Union anti-piracy cell is already receiving five requests a day from ships looking for protection from pirates in the Gulf of Aden, writes Justin Stares in Brussels.

Shipowners were initially reluctant to join the Brussels convoys but have since changed their mind, said piracy cell chief Andres Breijo.

The convoys, led by two French frigates and overseen by a Spanish reconnaissance aircraft, began offering transits to commercial shipping last month and have already been swamped by requests.

“Shipowners did not initially welcome the service because it meant adjusting their schedules and waiting for the warships to depart,” said Cap Breijo, right. “This costs money. “But since then they have changed their minds and we are now receiving five protection requests a day.”

The demand has created “asset problems” for the EU because the two frigates can only “fully” protect two ships each. Given the fortnightly sailings in each direction across the gulf, this is wholly inadequate for the 300 ships, which are in the gulf on any given day, Capt Breijo said.

But frequencies will be improved once the EU’s first armada arrives in the region in December. Separate and complementary Nato forces are also expected to take part in the convoy operation and a Russian vessel is also co-ordinating with the EU operations, Capt Breijo said.

While a frigate can only fully protect two ships, other vessels are reported to have tagged along. The French frigates have already seen off several attacks, said the EU chief, without giving details. “Other ships can stay close,” he said. “It can be a deterrent. It is better than being on the outside [of the convoy].”

Ten nations have pledged support for the EU’s first joint naval operation, scheduled to last a year. EC Audiovisual Library

http://www.lloydslist.com…n-call-…d=1225729774221

This entry didn’t have a link:

Fairplay 6 May 2009 Pirates seize escorted ship

A GERMAN-owned ship with 11 crew members has been seized by pirates from within a warship-escorted convoy in the Gulf of Aden transit corridor, EU naval forces reported today.

“The vessel … was sailing within the transit corridor and was picked out of a group transit within only a few minutes,” an official statement from EU NAVFOR said.

“A helicopter from the closest warship was too late to prevent the ship from being hijacked,” the statement continued, adding that the crew was believed to be unhurt.

Victoria – a 10,500dwt general cargo vessel flagged in Antigua & Barbuda that is owned and managed by Haren of the German group Intersee – was taken yesterday afternoon about 120 n-miles north of the Somali port of Boosaaso, EU anti-piracy officials told Bloomberg.

Lieutenant Nate Christensen, spokesman for the Bahrain-based US Fifth Fleet, told the Associated Press that the entire crew is Romanian. An Intersee executive confirmed the attack today and told Bloomberg the vessel was carrying 10,000 tonnes of rice to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

These two were from two of the long-running discussion & news threads on Somali piracy on the Warships1 board:
EU/NATO antipirate fleet now fighting pirates

Somalia pirates

Checking locations of the incidents over time shows a steady movement of the incidents from the Gulf of Aden to the south and east, out into the larger ocean off the African coast.

Oh, as for the other… here is a May 2009 report on that:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/11/somali-pirates-london-intelligence

Somali pirates guided by London intelligence team, report says
Document obtained by Spanish radio station says ‘well-placed informers’ in constant contact by satellite telephone.

Giles Tremlett in Madrid
Monday 11 May 2009 12.59 BST
Quote

The Somali pirates attacking shipping in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean are directed to their targets by a “consultant” team in London, according to a European military intelligence document obtained by a Spanish radio station.

The document, obtained by Cadena SER radio, says the team and the pirates remain in contact by satellite telephone.

It says that pirate groups have “well-placed informers” in London who are in regular contact with control centres in Somalia where decisions on which vessels to attack are made. These London-based “consultants” help the pirates select targets, providing information on the ships’ cargoes and courses.

In at least one case the pirates have remained in contact with their London informants from the hijacked ship, according to one targeted shipping company.

The pirates’ information network extends to Yemen, Dubai and the Suez canal.

Provide no supplies.

So what’s stopping the pirates from just taking what they want instead of paying for it if shopkeeper pulls that one on them?

The worst a disgruntled shopkeeper could do in such circumstances is cancel their playboy subscription in secret and tell them the Americans have put a booty embargo on Somalia. :p

Fair enough, but what can shopkeepers do to make life unpleasant for the pirates even if they wanted to?

Provide no supplies.

First I’ve heard they don’t have radios. Everything I’ve read suggested otherwise. And mothership doesn’t imply a larger boat, its just the phrase coined for the boat carrying the leader. It’s used as a slur more than a definitive identity. These are irregulars with macho attitudes.

Incorrect. “Motherships” in this context are the dhows or captured merchant vessels that skiffs operate from at extended range from shore. Skiffs are either towed or carried on the mothership’s deck.

Skiffs and pirate boarding parties may or may not carry battery powered radios and/or satphones. Inventories of confiscated equipment mentioned in news articles should give some idea.

Every skiff has a radio? Small open boats with outboards aren’t radioing home when they’re raiding 500 or 1000 km out to sea.

Mothership does mean a larger boat, not just the leaders skiff. It’s used for captured fishing boats (i.e. the Thai boat sunk by the Indian navy), dhows, small freighters etc., used to tow or carry the small boats used for pirate attacks to the points far from land where raids are increasingly being launched. Raids have been launched 2000km from Somalia. Those skiffs don’t carry enough fuel to operate that far from home without support, & that means motherships.

First I’ve heard they don’t have radios. Everything I’ve read suggested otherwise. And mothership doesn’t imply a larger boat, its just the phrase coined for the boat carrying the leader. It’s used as a slur more than a definitive identity. These are irregulars with macho attitudes.

I presume these pirate organizations do not have secure radios, and even if they do, I would expect the world’s top navies to have the means to crack non-military issue codes, and even some old gen military grade secure radios (if they pirates can get access to modern military grade encryption, then there are bigger fish to fry than the pirates).

How practical would it be for the navies to intercept these pirate radio communications and arrange for welcoming parties to be waiting for the pirates at their target locations?

The blokes in skiffs attacking ships generally don’t have radios at all, so there’s nothing to intercept. Those on land use GSM mobile phones. Good luck intercepting the right ones.

The mother ships may have radio, but with all the general chatter, one Somali voice among the many traders, etc. would be hard to pick out.