Rules of engagement, concerns over hostage safety, and the issue of captured pirates'human rights frustrate the U.S. Navy's ability to combat piracy in the Gulf of Aden, a representative of the U.S. Navy's think tank told maritime security stakeholders yesterday at the Maritime Security Expo 2008. Patrolling the Gulf of Aden is “a demoralizing mission for the Navy,” because no clear rules of engagement exist to regulate how naval forces handle pirates encountered on the open seas, said Kim Hall, field representative of the Center for Naval Analysis, currently stationed in Bahrain with the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet.
She said the U.S. Navy can only directly engage pirate skiffs during an attack on another ship or in self defense if pirates fire on U.S. sailors. Even when the U.S. Navy witnesses a successful attack it can do nothing for fear of harming the pirate’s hostages. Because of the concern for hostage casualties, the U.S. Navy even stands by as pirates refuel and resupply their captured vessels.
Another limitation on the U.S. Navy is what it does with captured pirates or “persons under control” (PUCs). No international consensus has emerged about what to do with PUCs because European nations bristle at proposals to return pirates to their home governments, most of which, like Somalia, are perpetual human rights abusers.
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Introducing Maritime Police International’s Maritime Law Enforcement- Counter Piracy Operations. An operation built and designed from the ground up to bridge the gap between current Naval and Law Enforcement Operations capability worldwide, the needs of the civilian and merchant markets, and to offer a long term solution. Designed to successfully counter the modern piracy threat that has gone mostly ignored for far too long.
All piracy incidents should be reported immediately to the International Maritime Bureau, IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia .
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Maritime Police International has been monitoring and extensively researching global piracy operations against commercial and private vessels. After years of research and analysis, MPI analysis concludes that without a strong global stance against maritime piracy, the current trend of losses to piracy will continue to grow significantly on an annual basis.
12 May 2009 – USA: USCG Requires All US Flagged Vessels To Post Security, Submit Plans For Approval. 07 May 2009 – East Africa: USNS Lewis & Clark Pursued By Pirates, Outruns Attackers After An Hour. 04 May 2009 – East Africa: Pirates Arrested By French Navy Frigate Nivos When Pirates Mistakenly Attempt To Capture Frigate, And Surrender To Commandos Instead. 27 April 2009 – East Africa: MSC Melody Repels Pirates With Firearms. USA: Maersk Alabama Crew Member Sues Shipping Companies For Anti Piracy Negligence. 24 April 2009 – USA: General Petraeus Suggests Shipping Companies Hire Armed Guards, Same Recommendation From Vice Admiral Gortney And Others In 2008. 13 April 2009 - Somalia: Retaliation Against US Ships Vowed. 12 April 2009 - Somalia: US Navy Rescues US Merchant Captain, Killing 3 Pirates. 10 April 2009 - Gulf of Aden: French Navy Rescues Sailboat, Killing 2 Pirates, 1 Hostage Dies. 09 April 2009 - Somalia: Piracy Hurting Aid Shipments. 07 April 2009 - Somalia & Gulf of Aden: Pirates Step Up Attacks As Weather Improves. 27 February 2009 - Gulf of Aden: Turkey Joins Counter Piracy Mission. US Claims Victory Over Pirates, No Hijacking In 6 Weeks Since US Took Leadership Of Anti Piracy Task Force. 28 January 2009 - Italy: Maritime Police International Briefs UN and International Partners On Law Enforcement Counter Piracy Operation. 21 January 2009 – Nigeria: Pirates Blow Up Tanker Engine With Dynamite. 15 January 2009 – Gulf of Aden: US Navy Launches Combined Task Force Anti Piracy Law Enforcement Mission With 20 International Navy Ships. 08 January 2009 – Bahrain: US Navy Announces US To Lead Fight Against Pirates in 2009. Operation Requires 60 Ships, Only 20 Committed Globally. 07 January 2009 – Nigeria: French Navy Rescues The Bourbon Leda Off Nigeria From Pirates After Being Hijacked 2 Days. 2008 Reported Pirate Attacks: 293, Hijackings: 49, Hostages: 889, Killed: 11 + 21 Missing Presumed Dead, Injured: 32. International Maritime Piracy Is A Criminal Activity, Requiring A Law Enforcement Response. Navies Apprehend Pirates Numerous Times, Typically Release Pirates Citing Lack Of Evidence. 2009 Reported Pirate Attacks & Incidents To Date, As Of 30 April 2009: Africa - 114, Indo China - 21 , South America – 13, Total Reported To Date-148.
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