Steaming under the constellation of Piracy
Pirates appeared also in the Persian Gulf, Polynesia and China. The coast of Oman was a great base for them, thus referred to as the “coast of pirates” which in 1853 was effectively terminated under the British ruling.
The nations that have gained control of piracy in history and have ensured the security of the sea lanes, became great powers with strong economies and civilizations like the Minoan, Athenian, Roman and Byzantine.
The last three decades and in the sunrise of the 21st century despite the automations and satellites, the phenomenon of piracy appeared once again. Initially it showed up in areas like West Africa, East Africa, South East Asia and the Indian ocean. This got the form of robbery of small boats and yachts near the coasts. Later on, it grew with the seizing of coasters and the hijacking of bigger vessels.
On the 15th September of 2008 the STOLT VALOR was seized, which was finally released by a ransom payment of 1.1 USA million. Fifteen days ago Somalian pirates hijacked the chemical and oil carrier CHENSTAR VENUS a 19,455-dwt, built 1999 and on November 18th another dry cargo vessel of 43218-dwt, near ADEN on the way to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas.
This year, over 100 pirate attacks have reported in the area, and the majority of them were conducted by Somalians. 39 ships have been seized and 14 are still held according to the International Maritime Bureau.
The surprise was on 17th November with the seized of the VLCC SIRIUS STAR a 319,430-dwt, 2008-built about 450 miles of Mombasa in the Kenya coast. This means that the pirates now are more organized with high tech-automatic rifles and machine guns and plans made on computers.
Shipowners are very upset. The combined maritime task force seems impractical and despite the crisis, shipowners are prepared to extend steaming up to 15 days through the Cape of Good Hope, instead of passing through Aden-Suez for their voyage from the Persian Gulf to Europe.
Marine insurers are asking for higher premiums and crews for extra bonuses. The seaborne trade, apart from the storm of the global credit crisis, is now facing a second strike, this time from piracy.
This is not a local problem, but a global one, because the innocent consumer must bear the extra cost in terms of time and expenses.
Now a simple question is raised: why the world community spends so much money and efforts against piracy and not spend a smaller amount to support countries like Somalia where piracy developed? States like Somalia, Kenya, Malaysia, Oman require jobs, water, electricity, roads and education. About 40% of the population in Somalia depend on the food aid delivered by sea. Feel confindent that if Somalians had a job and a real State, they would not arm themselves to engage in hijackings in the open seas. On the contrary, they would develop the mechanism to terminate this phenomenon which exposes them and their country. Now it is the great opportunity for the United Nations and the world’s leading states to help these countries, unless the precense of pirates serves other purposes, providing a good excuse for others, to keep their forces, in these sensitive regions filled with energy and raw materials.
Source: hellenicshippingnews
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