Thursday, October 02, 2008

Pirates On The High Seas

One supposes this to be a natural conclusion when nothing is done to apprehend the activities of modern-day piracy. It's an activity that has huge impact, world wide, yet even though the international shipping community has been targeted, and the costs have been high, nothing of any practical substance has been done to control the situation. To the point that international shipping through the Gulf of Aden has been severely impaired through fear of high-jacking by Somalian pirates.

There have been uncoordinated instances of international war ships plying the waters coming across dramatic and dangerous instances where pirates have attempted to board international cargo ships, and they've extemporaneously taken action to discourage the pirates, causing them to abandon their pursuit and boarding. But those are isolated incidents, favouring fortunate cargo ships, where armed vessels of friendly states just happened to be on hand.

The pirates have had great success in their modern-day activities, apprehending and boarding cargo ships, taking their crews hostage, placing costly ransoms for the release of the ships, their crew and the ship's cargo. It's thought that East African clan leaders and some in the Persian Gulf control the activities of the pirates who have been identified as young men with speedboats, high on local drugs, making the most of their adventuresome earning-potential.

Making them sufficiently wealthy in the process, so they're able to build homes for their families, increase the number of their wives, buying better quality speedboats and acquiring more sophisticated communications and quasi-military equipment to assist them in plying their trade. Their targets are any ships, from private yachts, civil or military ships large or small; all are ripe for boarding and demanding ransom. They've raised many millions of dollars in the past several years.

It might seem to make sense for the international community to form a working liaison to commit to solving the problem, and taking the pirates out of action, but so far nothing of the sort has taken place. And that's rather absurd, given the fact that if ships, trying to avoid the potential for seizures and having to pay costly ransom, seeking alternative routes even more costly, through millions more in increased fuel costs and time-lag in deliveries.

As it is, insurance costs have skyrocketed as a result of the pirate activities. The alternative is to sail around the African coast, taking an additional several weeks' sailing time. The situation is a fairly good indication of the breakdown of law and order when a country becomes completely de-stabilized as has happened in Somalia, where regional control through clans has led to national civic and social breakdowns, and total insecurity for Somalians.

Far and beyond the options of commercial air transport, goods are shipped by ocean-going vessels around the world through international trade and commerce. It's the basis of the global economy, to be able to move goods and materials through the shortest possible route at the best possible cost. It boggles the mind that the international community has not yet got around to figuring out how inimical the current situation is to ongoing trade and their financial well being.

It's clear that some action will have to be taken, to counter the very real threats posed by these intrepid pirates who don't hesitate to go after oil tankers, armed with grenade launchers and high-powered rifles. Sometimes good common sense simply eludes international communities, unwilling to work together for their common good.

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posted by Pieface @ Thursday, October 02, 2008

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