New Regional Piracy Interactive Infographics and Precautions

[CSSN]

FYI - CSSN has created 2 interactive piracy Infographics, one for the Trinidad/Grenada passage (5 events, the latest in mid-2016) and a second, for the much larger area – the Central American region from Rio Dulce, Guatemala, to the Bay Islands of Honduras and the entire Honduran Coast including the disputed waters off the Honduras/Nicaragua border and southward including the Nicaraguan Coast. (11 events, the most recent in 4Q2017).

https://safetyandsecuritynet.org/css...d-precautions/

[seriousailor]

This is a really impressive set of tools ... the interactive maps make it easy to find and see the details of the serious (piracy) events, and the detailed precautions list that go with each of them are well considered. I've been cruising for almost 20 years and I am giving more thought to routing and passage planning.

[atoll]

should these incidents not have a "use by date"!

any one looking at the eastern caribbean portion would think the area was awash with piracy,untill they look closer at the dates and realise that the incidents happened years ago,and not really relevent to current security in the area, and is more just fear mongering among cruisers,and internet clicks for you..........

[GTom]

Originally Posted by atoll

should these incidents not have a "use by date"!

any one looking at the eastern caribbean portion would think the area was awash with piracy,untill they look closer at the dates and realise that the incidents happened years ago,and not really relevent to current security in the area, and is more just fear mongering among cruisers,and internet clicks for you..........

Also need some information how many boats pass the area? It's a crucial information to know if the sole traveler who got there alone 5 years ago got attacked or is it a 1 in the million chance? Unlike land-based crime, it's difficult to rationalize the numbers (you don't avoid going to NYC just because of a single murder case before your travel).

[robregje]

FYI,


the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reports that 2016 saw a continued decrease in global pirate activities; in 2016, pirates attacked a total of 191 ships world-wide including boarding 150 ships, hijacking seven ships, and firing on 12; this activity is down from 246 incidents in 2015; in 2016, the number of hostages dropped to 151, however, the number of seafarers kidnapped for ransom increased dramatically to 62 with over half taken off West Africa;
the first half of 2017 saw 87 incidents compared with 97 during the same time period in 2016; during this six-month period, 63 ships were boarded, 12 fired upon, and four hijacked, resulting in 63 crew members taken hostage, 41 kidnapped for ransom, three injured, and two killed; the Horn of Africa continued to see pirate activities with nine incidents in the first half of 2017, a slight increase over 2016; the decrease in successful pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa was due, in part, to anti-piracy operations by international naval forces, the hardening of vessels, and the increased use of armed security teams aboard merchant ships; despite these preventative measures, the assessed risk remains high;
Operation Ocean Shield, the NATO naval task force established in 2009 to combat Somali piracy, concluded its operations in December 2016 as a result of the drop in reported incidents over the last few years; the EU naval mission continues its operatons in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean; West African piracy is a growing threat with 36 attacks in 2016 compared to 14 in 2015; Nigerian pirates are very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore and linked with at least three hijackings that occurred in this area; attacks in South Asian waters remain at low levels with a decrease in Bangladesh from 11 incidents in 2015 to three in 2016; Peru reported 11 incidents, up from none in 2015; attacks in Viet Nam declined from 15 in 2015 to seven in 2016
Source https://www.cia.gov/library/publicat...s/2271.html#so

Also good for other info, it has a point of view though.

Grtz

[lensming]

"Useful as a fireproof bottom paint..."

Well, that might be useful on the Cuyahoga River...once upon a time...

[CSSN]

Regarding:
"should these incidents not have a "use by date"!
and
Also need some information how many boats pass the area? It's a crucial information to know if the sole traveler who got there alone 5 years ago got attacked or is it a 1 in the million chance?"


It is useful to some captains to factor in the full history of incidents when making risk assessments before cruising to a specific location. Because incidents happen in spurts over time a review of the full history can be useful in assessing risk. When making such assessments captains are wise to review all historical information and factor in what they believe is relevant to their cruising style and the capabilities of vessel and crew. Because many prefer to see all the information so they can make the choice about what to use; CSSN reports - Captains decide.

The number of yachts transiting a given area in the Caribbean is unknowable. No records are published and no ratios can be calculated. See CSSN FAQ # 29
https://safetyandsecuritynet.org/faq...ked-questions/

The good news is that official and commercial interests in Trinidad have responded to the data by mobilizing defense force assets, and cruisers are filing float plans based on foreknowledge. It seems to be working because information has inspired vigilance.

[sailorboy53]

Correct me if I am wrong but my understanding of the word PIRACY is the boarding of a vessel at sea and stripping it and sinking it or commandeering it and holding said vessel, cargo and crew for ransom. If a vessel is boarded and articles taken and the vessel is then left to proceed that is robbery. The term piracy in my opinion is way overused as it provokes more fear then the term robbery which I think everybody understands goes on everywhere in the world with the possible exception of Antarctica.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by sailorboy53

Correct me if I am wrong but my understanding of the word PIRACY is the boarding of a vessel at sea and stripping it and sinking it or commandeering it and holding said vessel, cargo and crew for ransom. If a vessel is boarded and articles taken and the vessel is then left to proceed that is robbery. The term piracy in my opinion is way overused as it provokes more fear then the term robbery which I think everybody understands goes on everywhere in the world with the possible exception of Antarctica.

I agree that the term is way over used to refer to what amounts to punks stealing stuff off boats, not organized piracy, but the legal definition is in fact pretty broad:

http://www.duhaime.org/LegalDictiona...ritimeLaw.aspx

Unfortunately, some of the events this year on the Nicaraguan Banks are much more like organized piracy...multiple fast skiffs, well armed bad guys, and mother ships working in coordination, not just opportunist theft.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, lensming.