Russians And Chinese Work Together
On Somalian Piracy Issue
By Mike Groves
It appears that Russia and China are also finding themselves now being drawn into the fight against piracy, dispatching their own warships to the area in addition to 35 warships from 16 countries currently stationed there. Most certainly these troubled waters off the coast of Somalia continue to raise concerns globally.
It is here that you will find ‘pirate alley’ should you have a mind to sail so close to this notoriously violent coastline, and it is here where you will find the vast majority of the blood thirsty scurvy pirates that have gone into over-drive in more recent years with their violent attacks against shipping.
As many of you will know, I’m talking from personal experience!
Somalia remains a lawless state with drug dealers, arm’s dealers, Warlords and a few Al-Qaeda to boot taking up residence there. Disenfranchised from the local community and who undoubtedly suffer the most from the antics of these various individuals, the situation appears to have little hope of resolving itself anytime soon.
It is now known that even some sections of the Somalia Military – marines – have also fallen into piracy trade in their attempts to gain vast and immediate wealth. Certainly intelligence regarding the attack against the Seabourn Spirit in 2005 has since suggested they were ex marines and having witnessed their weapons handling I would tend to agree, although they did miss me the third time?
Reports in various papers and on line news sites today indicated that Russian and Chinese naval task forces are currently engaged in an anti-piracy mission within the Gulf of Aden, holding joint exercises from today, 18th September 2009.
The exercises, Blue Peace Shield 2009 will include simulated missions to identify ships, communication links and coordinated resupply and helicopter operations. Live firing of on board weaponry will also take place. This is a very good idea!
Only a few weeks after the attack against the Seabourn Spirit in 2005, some more scurvy pirates were located by a US frigate and decided – rather stupidly – that they would open fire against it rather than heed the Navy’s warnings to stop and lower their weapons. The United States Navy returned fire with the rather large gun at the front and that was that although remarkably, one pirate actually survived.
I would imagine that the pirates will soon be feeling the added pressure from the Great Bear and equally fierce Dragon should they opt to conduct the same level of communications skills with the Russians and Chinese navies respectively. I would imagine their rules of engagement will not share the same level of patience as those from the US and European nations and quite frankly – why should they? I personally feel enough is enough with these lawless murderers.
It is certainly known that there are now at least five large organized gangs of pirates operating in or around the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia, their numbers totaling over 5,000. More recently, the first deputy chief of the Russian Navy General Staff, Vice Admiral Oleg Burtsev stated "Pirates have become more daring and aggressive recently - there were instances when they seized vessels right in front of the ships that were responsible for the security of commercial shipping,"
Indeed Admiral you are correct, they are very daring, very dangerous and very high on khat [Khat is a stimulant drug with effects similar to amphetamine. Chewing it makes people feel more alert and talkative and suppresses the appetite] when committing these attacks and I fear – as the tempo is increased from a now combined force of 18 nations, the pirates will steer themselves towards more ruthless and bloodthirsty actions to counter the added pressure placed upon them to cease their activities.
God only knows what would have happened to the young females on board the Seabourn Spirit if they [pirates] had been successful in boarding and all Ships Masters [Captains] should be acutely aware of the very real dangers at sea, whether off Somalia or in some of the other pirate infested waters around the worlds as indeed so should the companies that control them.
Surely an extra days sail in order to keep further off the coast of Somalia is far better than to lose your ship to millions of dollars in ransom or worse, the murder of some of your ships crew?
The time has come to use common sense, to keep the required distances from the coast of Somalia, instigate a designated two lane shipping lane which can then be protected on both sides by the navies already ‘on point’? By this I mean enforcing an exclusion zone to those who have not identified themselves to the powers that be and for Masters and Corporations to listen to, and please heed the warnings and first class intelligence from the likes of the – IMO (International Maritime Organization),IMB (International Maritime Bureau) and Transec (Department for Transport) to name a few. I would imagine they’re also getting pretty fed up of being ignored by so many as well.
In conclusion, the piracy situation can only be stopped by shipping companies taking away the bait – IE remaining further out to sea and letting the ‘Ho Ho Ho’s, it’s a pirates life for me’ of this world having to take extra risks to enter a zone where there is only one way in, and one way out. I’m quite sure those pirates already wearing the latest range in Jolly Roger boxer shorts will not be so cocky knowing that they will come into direct contact with the various armed forces already in place, I’m sure the military would be delighted to meet with them inside an exclusion zone.
Three Russian warships have so far participated in the mission - the Baltic Fleet's Neustrashimy (Fearless) frigate, the Pacific Fleet's Admiral Vinogradov and Admiral Panteleyev destroyers. Further to this deployment, a new task force from Russia's Pacific Fleet, comprising the Admiral Tributs destroyer with two helicopters, a salvage tug, a tanker, and a naval infantry unit, will arrive in late July in the Gulf of Aden to assist with the on-going deployment.
According to the United Nations, Somali pirates collected $150 million in ransom payments from ship owners in 2007 while overall losses from piracy were estimated at $13-16 billion. This is not including the consequential increases in maritime insurance and the added protection for vessels.
Pirate attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden and off the east coast of Somalia have amounted to 156 since the beginning of the year; with over 40 ships captured and at least 270 victims were taken hostage. In 2008, there were 122 pirate attacks with 42 successes.
Russians And Chinese Work Together On Piracy Issue
By Mike Groves QGM
Cruise Bruise Security And Safety Advisor
September 21, 2009
