Piracy - Reality vs Perception

[crabcake]

Sea crimes are on the rise in Southeast Asia


It’s early in the evening on Saturday, Aug. 8, and the Singaporean oil tanker “Joaquim” is on its way from the Indonesian port city of Tanjung Pinang to the small Malaysian island Langkawi, bearing 3,500 metric tons of fuel oil. The shipment never reaches its destination.
The Joaquim is attacked by armed pirates in the narrow Malacca Strait. The ship is found the next day, 3,000 metric tons of oil gone, the navigation system and communication equipment smashed, and the crew beaten but alive.
Sea crime in Southeast Asia is on the rise, according to shipping groups and governmental organizations. While most attacks aren't like the one on the Joaquim—in which a cargo ship is robbed of its freight—shippers are growing wary about the situation in the region. That’s why they are bolstering antipiracy countermeasures on their vessels and asking governments for an increased response.
“This is a significant problem and it seems to be escalating,” said Matt Walje, lead author for Oceans Beyond Piracy’s 2014 State of Piracy report, which estimates the value of the oil stolen in 2015 alone at $5 million. “It poses a potential threat to world commerce.”
Piracy attacks double

There have been 124 armed robberies, hijackings and other attacks on ships by Southeast Asia sea criminals in 2015 through Sept. 7, according to data from the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau. Since 2010, attacks on ships in regional waters have more than doubled on a yearly basis, and in 2014 they accounted for nearly six of every 10 sea crimes world-wide, the group said.
Location of actual and attempted attacks in Southeast Asia, January-December, 2010-2015 Location 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Indonesia 40 46 81 106 100 Malacca Straits 2 1 2 1 1 Malaysia 18 16 12 9 24 Philippines 5 5 3 3 6 Singapore Straits 3 11 6 9 8 Thailand 2 0 0 0 2 Myanmar/Burma 0 1 0 0 0 Total 70 80 104 128 141 Source: ICC International Maritime Bureau The surge in Southeast Asian attacks comes as the number of incidents in the piracy “hot spot” of the early part of the decade—the Gulf of Aden, near Somalia, which links the Arabian and Red seas—has fallen to zero.
Southeast Asian seas, particularly the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, are home to key shipping routes. Nearly half the world’s oil, and much of the energy products imported by China and Japan, go through those waterways, according to Walje. As such, experts say, increased danger for shippers there is raising concerns.
Sea crimes in any of the “choke points”— places like the Horn of Africa and the Strait of Malacca can appeal to pirates because they are relatively narrow must-use routes for shippers—are serious threats to trade, according to Robert Gauvin, senior director for counter-piracy policy at the U.S. Cost Guard.
“This can affect the transportation of energy and goods, which can be very important to the economies for states in those areas, as well as their international partners, such as the U.S.,” Gauvin said. “The U.S. is very much concerned about issues like [piracy in Southeast Asia] because we feel it affects our national security and it also affects maritime transportation and the global economy.”









Somali piracy was attributed mainly to poverty and civil war in the region. It emerged as a serious threat to global trade and seafarers around the turn of the millennium, when gangs began hijacking ships off the country’s coast and in the Gulf of Aden. In early 2011, 736 hostages and 32 ships were being held for ransom in anchorages off Somali beaches at one time.
But experts have struggled to identify the reasons crimes at sea have jumped to a 12-year high in Asia, making the problem harder to tackle. Some say poverty in Southeast Asia, in part caused by overfishing, has strained communities’ incomes; others say gangs that have been active for years are now more organized and effective and are now successfully pulling off more ambitious attacks.
In Southeast Asia, pirates are increasingly hijacking ships to steal oil from slow-moving tankers but rarely seek to ransom the crew. They capture tankers, sail them to a mother ship and siphon off the fuel, then release the boats with their equipment smashed and, at times, the crews badly hurt. (Because the crews are generally not ransomed, analysts say, they may be likelier targets for violence than was the case in East Africa.)
The oil is sold on the black market. Walje, from Oceans Beyond Piracy, estimates that pirates have stolen more than 16,000 metric tons of oil products — with an estimated value of $5 million — in Southeast Asia this year.






“There’s a really high return on investment in a very short period of time with oil theft,” Walje said. ”When you’re siphoning oil up, you’re able to make millions of dollars quite quickly — as opposed to Somali piracy, where they sometimes had to sit on a vessel for a year or more in order to get multimillion-dollar ransoms.…It’s quite a large capital injection into a criminal enterprise.”






Data as of Sept. 11, 2015 The shipping industry isn’t currently as concerned about Southeast Asia as it was about the Gulf of Aden, according to Philip Tinsley, maritime security manager at global shipping organization BIMCO — but it is watching the region with a careful eye.
Problems complicate solutions for shippers in the region

The Somali pirates were eventually deterred by the combined efforts of governments, international organizations and shipowners. Governments and international institutions deployed naval forces and coastal patrols, while shippers equipped their vessels with barbed wire, water cannons and armed guards, also rerouting ships and increasing their speed to make them harder to board.
The result was a sharp drop in piracy incidents in the area. So far, according to industry statistics, 2015 has been attack-free. The cost of accomplishing that, however, has been substantial.
At the height of the Somali attacks, the annual cost of piracy — including ransom payments, insurance premiums, the cost of stolen goods, vessel-protection measures, rerouting ships around the Cape of Good Hope and naval intervention — was estimated at $7 billion to $12 billion, according to Oceans Beyond Piracy. That fell to $2.3 billion last year, partly because of a drop in ransom payments and lower expenses associated with rerouting and insurance. (Oceans Beyond Piracy doesn't yet have an estimate for Southeast Asia.)
But experts say the measures that worked in the Gulf of Aden won’t work in Southeast Asia. Asia’s dense map of territorial waters complicates the use of military vessels, a contrast to the African coast, where they can operate more easily in international seas.
“The pirates seem to be fairly adept in finding out where the territorial waters of the different nations start,” Walje said. “That way they can take a vessel in one area and move to another area, which slows the response from authorities.”
The territorial waters also disqualifies the use of armed guards aboard the ships, said Arild Nodland, founder of Bergen Risk Solutions, a Norwegian intelligence firm that specializes in assisting ships through high-risk waters and works with oil and gas shippers including Petroleum Geo-Services PGS, +11.29% Sinopec Group 0386, +6.63% ) subsidiary Addax Petroleum, and Fugro FUR, +0.98% Nodland called armed guards a “critical success factor” in combating piracy.
As much as $15,000 or more to safeguard a ship

The factors that limit the use of military force and armed guards in the region mean that a solution will likely require a combination of tactics including vessel-protection measures, region-specific training for ship crews, and information sharing.
Physically safeguarding a ship usually runs between $5,000 and $15,000, according to Nodland, though projects can cost much more. Shippers can install barbed wire, reinforcing exposed ship doors, build “safe rooms” inside the hull to wait out attacks, and add water cannons and alarms.
“If you’re operating in a high-risk environment, you also need to physically harden your ship,” Nodland said.”






More broadly, local governments are stepping up efforts to address piracy before the situation worsens. In Indonesia for example, authorities arrested the alleged mastermind behind one of the highest profile oil-tanker attack — the hijacking of the Orkim Harmony in June — as part of a bid to combat a soaring number of incidents. And in Malaysia, the Maritime Enforcement Agency has set up an airborne special-task and rescue team.
And a group called ReCaap, the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against ships in Asia, was created in 2004 to promote regional cooperation, share information and intelligence, and convene groups to discuss regional strategies and tactics.
But critics say gaps in the regional response remain. Indonesia and Malaysia aren’t involved in ReCaap even as those countries suffer heavily from increased sea crime. And it only works as an information-sharing and analysis center, rather than a direct reporting center that can respond to an attack, Tinsley said.
“You need to create a clearer line of communication, so if there is an incident, this is who you report to, so they can do something about it,” he said. A similar operation — the United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations — has been helpful in the Gulf of Aden, according to Tinsley, acting as the primary point of contact for commercial ships in case of a pirate attack.
That will need to come from Southeast Asian governments, according to the Coast Guard’s Gauvin. (The U.S. is a member of ReCaap; the organization itself didn't respond to multiple requests for an interview.) There appears to be some urgency driving a response, as a July press report said Southeast Asian countries plan a joint operation to fight piracy in the Malacca Strait.
Gauvin said the governments need to work together on a system that will help with response, prosecution, and imprisonment of sea criminals in the region for conditions to improve.
“There needs to be coordination between local states,” Gauvin said. “It gives them the capability to sit down together and talk about these types of agreements. But it doesn’t happen overnight.”

[Group9]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Its quips like this , that in reality are politically minded that actually make no sense.

If one is debating facing serious armed pirates , then armed response from a typical yacht is useless. In fact its more then useless, it will lead to your death . Slogan-ising the problem is just that a slogan, rather likes" live free or die " etc. it ignores the fact that most people have little or no combat experience , few have access to firearms and the actual situations that arise don't lend themselves to single retaliatory attacks. But, I will agree that a person who has never been in a serious fight in their life, is going to be peddling uphill if deciding to resist an armed attack as his first life experience in this arena.

Leave Rambo for the movies, reality is an all together more difficult affair.

Dave

Throughout history, when faced with armed attack, men have either made the decision to resist and fight back, or to submit quietly. No amount of advice or opinions from others is going to change the inbred response an individual will have to that type of situation. Each will do what their best judgment and experience tells them to do. And, neither will be right or wrong in every situation.

[David_Old_Jersey]

....and sometimes you will be fooked either way. Lol.

Sent from my NEXUS 5 whilst sitting in my armchair tied to the dock.

[weavis]

Originally Posted by Group9

Throughout history, when faced with armed attack, men have either made the decision to resist and fight back, or to submit quietly. No amount of advice or opinions from others is going to change the inbred response an individual will have to that type of situation. Each will do what their best judgment and experience tells them to do. And, neither will be right or wrong in every situation.

well, er........... I disagree.
Resistance in the wrong circumstances can get everyone killed for the sake of a wrong decision.

Ive seen the results of it. One man, one gun versus an unknown number of assailants and heavily armed. They went through and took out everyone in the compound having got slightly irritated.

[Kenomac]

I'm heading back to Whoville on Thursday to begin sleepin next to my trusty AK47 and Mrs Mac with her M4 carbine.

Why is it, that some of you English now give up so easily? It wasn't always this way. Just two weeks ago, I had this British know-it-all telling me that the best way to ward off an attack by an armed assailant threatening him, his wife and five year old daughter was to "introduce himself" to the intruder. How lame is that?

[weavis]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I'm heading back to Whoville on Thursday to begin sleepin next to my trusty AK47 and Mrs Mac with her M4 carbine.

Why is it, that some of you English now give up so easily? It wasn't always this way. Just two weeks ago, I had this British know-it-all telling me that the best way to ward off an attack by an armed assailant threatening him, his wife and five year old daughter was to "introduce himself" to the intruder. How lame is that?

If its just you and Mrs Mac, you do whatever you feel.

If others are involved, I see a lack of training or foresight in your belief that a weapon solves all problems.

I dont speak for 'some of you English'. Given that the UK does not permit weapon ownership except in defined circumstances, your discussion with the 'know all' brit was disadvantaged because, believe it or not, that is how unarmed Britain is taught to get out of a situation alive.

I have a CCW. I do have Extensive military and advanced weapons training, albeit the last time was 4 years ago in the States. I also have 3 years of active combat experience and post military, 7 years as a medic in war zones plus disaster areas. (W.H.O., M.S.F. British forces)

Not averse to weapon engagement when the situation has been assessed and the odds calculated. I am averse to working with people who risk my life, the life of my family and others in the vicinity because they gravitate to armed response without assessment. In the military, my job was keep 23 of us alive and returning to base with as few holes in us as possible.

I do not go to bed with weapons in the room. My environment does not warrant it.

I am all for self defence and responsible ownership of weapons. I am not in favour of allowing Rambo to be the role model.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by weavis

If its just you and Mrs Mac, you do whatever you feel.

If others are involved, I see a lack of training or foresight in your belief that a weapon solves all problems.

I dont speak for 'some of you English'. Given that the UK does not permit weapon ownership except in defined circumstances, your discussion with the 'know all' brit was disadvantaged because, believe it or not, that is how unarmed Britain is taught to get out of a situation alive.

I have a CCW. I do have Extensive military and advanced weapons training, albeit the last time was 4 years ago in the States. I also have 3 years of active combat experience and post military, 7 years as a medic in war zones plus disaster areas. (W.H.O., M.S.F. British forces)

Not averse to weapon engagement when the situation has been assessed and the odds calculated. I am averse to working with people who risk my life, the life of my family and others in the vicinity because they gravitate to armed response without assessment. In the military, my job was keep 23 of us alive and returning to base with as few holes in us as possible.

I do not go to bed with weapons in the room. My environment does not warrant it.

I am all for self defence and responsible ownership of weapons. I am not in favour of allowing Rambo to be the role model.

Britain has changed so much since the days of Winston Churchill IMHO. It's a good thing so many of your ancestors and many thousands of Americans, Canadians and Australians chose instead to stand up and fight vs bothering to introduce themselves to the Nazis, otherwise.....

You'd be speaking German today.

[weavis]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Britain has changed so much since the days of Winston Churchill IMHO. It's a good thing so many of your ancestors and many thousands of Americans, Canadians and Australians chose instead to stand up and fight vs bothering to introduce themselves to the Nazis, otherwise.....

You'd be speaking German today.

Sie sollten es mal ausprobieren. Sprechen sie deutsche?

[minaret]

Originally Posted by weavis

Sie sollten es mal ausprobieren. Sprechen sie deutsche?

Now that's appropriate & hilarious!



Ps- Ken, let's not forget the Russkis. They may have had something to do with it too...


Plus, Winnie is a poor example. He makes Weavis' point better than yours. Just look at Gallipoli & Anzio. Always with some half cocked "soft underbelly" scheme that wouldn't work. Then he blamed the generals for not pulling it off. Plus he was a colonialist. Great example of what happens when you think you are more capable than you are. Fascinating guy, read all his books, but not the military strategist he thought he was.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by weavis

Sie sollten es mal ausprobieren. Sprechen sie deutsche?

Nein. Dank der vielen tausend Amerikaner, Kanadier, Australier.

This is an English forum, we can thank our ancestors for that too. The UK needs to grow a spine once again, otherwise you'll be speaking Arabic before too long. IMHO.

Who in the UK came up with that totally dumbass idea to introduce yourself to invaders and thieves? Frankly.... I couldn't believe how stupid the idea was when I first heard it. Now, I find out it's common?

You guys are finished if you don't change your way of thinking.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by minaret

Now that's appropriate & hilarious!



Ps- Ken, let's not forget the Russkis. They may have had something to do with it too....

Like George Patton, I forgot the Russians.

But I like their guns.

[weavis]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Nein. Dank der vielen tausend Amerikaner, Kanadier, Australier.

This is an English forum, we can thank our ancestors for that too. The UK needs to grow a spine once again, otherwise you'll be speaking Arabic before too long. IMHO.

Who in the UK came up with that totally dumbass idea to introduce yourself to invaders and thieves? Frankly.... I couldn't believe how stupid the idea was when I first heard it. Now, I find out it's common?

You guys are finished if you don't change your way of thinking.

Let me ask you then.
You are legally enforced to be unarmed in the house. A guy is stood at the bottom of your bed with a weapon.

Somehow, introducing yourself or asking him to play chess would be one of the options open to you simply because there are not many others things you can do.

Might as well be polite about it.

[weavis]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

otherwise you'll be speaking Arabic before too long. IMHO.

Perhaps you need to look indoors. We seem to follow the US example.

There will be a war coming soon. We will be out there with our knives and forks...... er. wait....... we are not allowed to carry knives either....... our forks then.....
er... scratch that.......

لقد قضي علينا

[minaret]

Originally Posted by weavis

Perhaps you need to look indoors. We seem to follow the US example.

There will be a war coming soon. We will be out there with our knives and forks...... er. wait....... we are not allowed to carry knives either....... our forks then.....
er... scratch that.......

لقد قضي علينا

Can't carry a blade?! Scratch that, I'm with Ken! You guys are fooked.

[weavis]

Originally Posted by minaret

Can't carry a blade?! Scratch that, I'm with Ken! You guys are fooked.

Yes.
I got stopped once walking down the promenade with full fishing gear on and a knife on my belt.
Decent officer. Just suggested I put the knife in my bag. Explained the rule to me when I told him I was back from living in the States. We discussed Florida and I gave him a recipe for Trout.
What I was doing was actually NOT illegal, but to save concerned members of the public from calling in and reporting me, I put it in the bag.

Its a control thing. Defenceless public.

Wrong.