Wild pirates, diminutive defense
Joe Fleishman
April 13, 2009
It is getting a lucrative industry in the Golf of Aden. CNN report has projected from the beginning to the end of a ship hijacking many processes are involved that makes many people to involve. Not only hijacker them-selves are receiving the money but the negotiator, financial people, people from insurance company, ship´s piracy protection mechanism all these requires participation of numbers people. If a ship hijacked it generates plenty of opportunity to many.
Some ships are having some extra protection system like the Maersk Alabama. Its crew members were trained to fight with pirates –it worked in this case and saved the ship. Crew were able to dodge the pirates but couldn´t able to stop them taking 53-year-old freighter Capt. Richard Phillips as hostage. Richard however rescued by the US Navy but he was remain captive for five days.
The Somali coast is four times bigger than Texas. Several countries are protecting that area with few ships. It is not easy to protect that huge area with only a few ships. Also pirates have changed their concentration in the Golf of Aden. They are now spreading to the south east. That makes the task more difficult. If some ship owners will decide they will not use Suez Canal to by pass the Somali pirates, the ship has to go all around the South Africa´s Cape of Gold Hope –even which is no longer safe anymore.
What happen to the Maersk Alabama is very significant. Its crews are not like the ordinary crew. They are specially trained to fight with pirates. It was protected by the metal barbs –still it was not able to completely avoid the incidence. Suez Canal is the most important gateway between East and West for the world´s shipping industry and it is now facing a gruesome task to avoid pirates.
As the shipping industries are facing difficult challenge to get rid of pirate attacks it may effect on world´s economy. If this will go on continue, shipping cost will surely increase. It will increase cost of shipping and will certainly influence the product cost which is not good for the consumers in this bad economic recession. Some countries have already expressed their deep concern about the problem. But solving the problem is not so easy. It is not very realistic plan to provide protection for every ship and if the ship is not protected it has a good chance to caught by the pirates.
In this situation world should consider something new and different. Airline Industry has already able to improve their condition from the hijackers. Shipping Industry should also consider something like that. Flights in US are carrying an armed Air-Marshal in every flight. Similar type of armed guard protection can be considered for the shipping industry. Also like cockpit door, bulletproof door may be very effective here. Pirates are armed with assault weapon like machinegun. In order to counter them -metal barbs, free hand fight, water cannon is not always very useful. Pirates are well informed that these ships are not carrying anything which could impose any kind threat on them. So they are reckless enough to challenge even the US destroyer.
It is very important to create fear to these fearless pirates. Not only defensive but somewhat capacity to assault the pirates is very essential.
Some ships are having some extra protection system like the Maersk Alabama. Its crew members were trained to fight with pirates –it worked in this case and saved the ship. Crew were able to dodge the pirates but couldn´t able to stop them taking 53-year-old freighter Capt. Richard Phillips as hostage. Richard however rescued by the US Navy but he was remain captive for five days.
The Somali coast is four times bigger than Texas. Several countries are protecting that area with few ships. It is not easy to protect that huge area with only a few ships. Also pirates have changed their concentration in the Golf of Aden. They are now spreading to the south east. That makes the task more difficult. If some ship owners will decide they will not use Suez Canal to by pass the Somali pirates, the ship has to go all around the South Africa´s Cape of Gold Hope –even which is no longer safe anymore.
What happen to the Maersk Alabama is very significant. Its crews are not like the ordinary crew. They are specially trained to fight with pirates. It was protected by the metal barbs –still it was not able to completely avoid the incidence. Suez Canal is the most important gateway between East and West for the world´s shipping industry and it is now facing a gruesome task to avoid pirates.
As the shipping industries are facing difficult challenge to get rid of pirate attacks it may effect on world´s economy. If this will go on continue, shipping cost will surely increase. It will increase cost of shipping and will certainly influence the product cost which is not good for the consumers in this bad economic recession. Some countries have already expressed their deep concern about the problem. But solving the problem is not so easy. It is not very realistic plan to provide protection for every ship and if the ship is not protected it has a good chance to caught by the pirates.
In this situation world should consider something new and different. Airline Industry has already able to improve their condition from the hijackers. Shipping Industry should also consider something like that. Flights in US are carrying an armed Air-Marshal in every flight. Similar type of armed guard protection can be considered for the shipping industry. Also like cockpit door, bulletproof door may be very effective here. Pirates are armed with assault weapon like machinegun. In order to counter them -metal barbs, free hand fight, water cannon is not always very useful. Pirates are well informed that these ships are not carrying anything which could impose any kind threat on them. So they are reckless enough to challenge even the US destroyer.
It is very important to create fear to these fearless pirates. Not only defensive but somewhat capacity to assault the pirates is very essential.
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