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Back to 18/2008
High time for UN action in the Gulf of Aden
In this issue of the Scandinavian Shipping Gazette focusing on Safety, Environment and Security we will go deeply into the subject of piracy, due to the recent surge of pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden. The piracy in the Gulf of Aden, a major shipping route connecting the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, flourishes with new merchant ships hijacked basically every day.
We will go deeply into the subject of piracy, due to the recent surge of pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden. You will meet one of the key actors in fighting piracy off Somalia – the multinational Combined Task Force 150, now under Danish command. The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) Director Pottengal Mukundan also gives his view of today’s piracy. Furthermore, the Estonian first mate Ardo Kalle tells his story of the hijacked merchant ship Lehmann Timber, where he was kidnapped during several weeks by heavily armed pirates demanding USD 3 million in ransom.
The piracy in the Gulf of Aden, a major shipping route connecting the Indian Ocean to the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, flourishes with new merchant ships hijacked basically every day – despite that necessary security measures often are taken.
According to the IMB, the situation is extremely serious and seafarers remain in serious danger while navigating in the area. A maritime industry already facing a global economic downturn and a growing shortage of officers now also has to deal with violent Somali warlords and gangsters, threatening its core businesses and the life and health of valuable crews.
Piracy has become a very lucrative business and ransom a common word.
Shipowners, international organisations and associations as well as coalition navies are all trying to handle this explosive trend in the most fast-acting way. Their responses do not include the involvement of Somali authorities; the war-ravaged country lacks a functioning central government since 1991.
In June the United Nations approved incursions into Somali waters to fight piracy, but despite this the number of attacks is not going down.
It is completely unacceptable that the maritime industry, crucial for global trade, and its employees have to live with these acts of violence on one of its main routes. No other industry would tolerate these working conditions; the shipping industry should not be an exception.
Shipping concerns us all, that is why a security corridor for merchant vessels has to be established as soon as possible. The United Nations Security Council possesses the power and legitimacy to take the decision. As it does not exist any open conflict of interests between the five permanent member states of the Council concerning piracy, their fleets are actually among the targets, it is remarkable that a dysfunctional declaration is the only outcome so far. Again and again the UN misses the opportunity to show the power to act.
However, a security corridor is a short time solution and so it should be. The maintaining of law and order in the Gulf of Aden is a crucial issue. In a larger perspective and in the long run, the UN declaration 1814, aimed to improve the stability in Somalia and facilitate a peaceful development, should be connected to a sea operation, as the situation inside the country feeds piracy.
While waiting for the Security Council to act, the number of actors entering the scene in order to secure transports is growing.
As the piracy threatens the World Food Programme, delivering food and other necessities to distressed civilians in Somalia (around two million civilians are in immediate need of help), the EU wants to replace the French led operation Alycon with a larger EU-force including 3–5 vessels within the frame of the European Security and Defence Policy, to protect transports as well as ordinary merchant ships.
In the near future, the EU will take a final decision. As a first step the Union has recently established an office in Brussels to facilitate coordination and the spread of information.
Besides, Yemen is willing to host a regional anti-piracy centre in response to the surge of hijackings. The Yemeni Government has already signed a memorandum of understanding together with other states of the West Ocean region.
After the hijackings of two tankers owned by Malaysia-based MISC, the Malaysian navy has ordered three naval ships to the coast off Somalia, to protect Malaysian ships operating in the area.
The German as well as the Japanese Shipowner’s Associations urge their navies to start fighting piracy.
It is also revealed that several shipowners are hiring private security contractors to deal with piracy. Gun battles between contractors and pirates with potential casualties, damage to vessels and the following risk of environmental disasters all represent a threatening development – but sadly understandable as shipowners are quite tired of armed gangs hijacking their vessels and the inability of powerful action by the UN.
Pierre Adolfsson, Journalist.
Latest update 26-09-2008 |
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No 18/2008
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2008