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Monsoons, naval forces chase pirates away

DUBAI - Pirate attacks have fallen in the Arabian Sea with the advent of the South West Monsoons, but are expected to pick up in August when the rains subside, according to the International Maritime Bureau Piracy Reporting Centre (IMB). The buccaneers, meanwhile, are turning their attention to other areas like the Gulf of Aden and the southern Red Sea.

Speaking to Khaleej Times from London, Captain Pottengal Mukundan, director of the IMB, said: ''Since the onset of the monsoon, attacks have been mainly focused in the Gulf of Aden and very recently in the southern approaches to the Red Sea.''
The Southern Red Sea represents a new area of activity for Somali pirates as they expand their area of operations. "The commencement of the South West Monsoon has impacted upon their area of operations resulting in increased attacks taking place in the southern part of the Red Sea - an area not directly affected by the monsoons," Captain Mukundan said.
In the Arabian Sea, the drop in piracy incidents may be temporary. ''The attacks in the Arabian Sea decline because of the South West Monsoons. We expect this to pick up at the end of August,'' the piracy reporting centre warned.
According to a report by the IMB, which is part of the International Chamber of Commerce, 196 incidents around the world were recorded by the IMB's 24 hour Piracy Reporting Centre, compared to 240 incidents in 2009. This includes 31 vessels hijacked, 48 vessels fired upon and 70 vessels boarded.
Only one crew member was killed during this period, while 597 were taken hostage and 16 were injured. What's making authorities more nervous is that the hijackers are now using more spphisticated weapons, including rocket propelled grenades, particularly in the waters off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden.
Attacks in this region and in the Red Sea represent more than half of the incidents reported over the past six months.
The coast of Somalia, which is considered the most dangerous maritime area in the world, was the worst hit with 100 pirate attacks in the six months this year, including 27 hijackings. But when compared to last year, the attacks have fallen. ''The role of the international navy patrols has been a considerable success in the Gulf of Aden in the last 12 months,'' said the IMB director.
"The Indian Ocean poses a different challenge. Nevertheless, naval initiatives to target and disrupt pirate groups in the Indian Ocean should be applauded and sustained. It is vital that the naval presence continues.
The other important factor in the number of attacks being brought down is the actions taken by vessels themselves and the adoption of the Best Management Practices put out by industry bodies and the naval co-ordination groups."
Currently, three task forces are countering the pirate threat. The Nato anti-piracy mission, code-named Operation Ocean Shield, is now closely working with vessels from the EU Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) and Combined Maritime Force, headquartered in Bahrain.
But many attacks also go unreported. In the Horn of Africa most owners do report the attacks through the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre and to the navy. The problem with non-reporting of the incidents is largely in the Gulf of Guinea in Africa.
How does the piracy warning system work? ''As soon as the IMB PRC receives an attack it is immediately passed on to the law enforcement agencies to deal with the problem.
This applies not just in the Horn of Africa, but all over the world in the various other hot spots. We also send out a daily report to all ships advising them of the position and type of attack that has taken place in the various high risk areas.'' IMB has a dedicated hotline for seafarers and all concerned parties to report any information relating to maritime crime and security including terrorism, piracy and other illegal activities.- allan@khaleejtimes.com

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