piracy News

EU Council Extends Somalia Counter-piracy Operation; OK’s Coastal Missions

The Council of the European Union has prolonged the EU’s counter-piracy operation Atalanta by two more years, until December 2014. The Council also said that the decision “extended the force’s area of operations to include Somali coastal territory as well …

Anti-Piracy Group SOS SaveOurSeafarers Welcomes UK Gov’t. Support

SOS SaveOurSeafarers has issued the following statement following a conference in London on Somali piracy, organized by the UK’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office, held at the London headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Giles Heimann, Chairman of the Group …

West Africa Waters Among Riskiest Routes for Shippers

The waters off West Africa’s coast are now a constant danger for those shipping goods and crude oil in the region, analysts said the day after pirates killed two sailors near Nigeria’s coast. Despite pledges by nations to patrol the …

2011 Piracy Attacks Totaled 439; 275 off Somalia: ICC/IMB Report

According to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) global piracy report attacks in East and West Africa accounted for the majority of world attacks in 2011, signaling a rising trend. Of the 439 attacks reported to …

Navy Actions Reduce Somali Pirate Hijackings: Maritime Bureau

Pre-emptive strikes by naval forces, the deployment of private armed guards and protective measures by ships helped to almost halve the number of successful hijackings by Somali pirates last year, a maritime watchdog said on Thursday. Seaborne gangs are making …

Catlin Forms Partnership with Crisis Management Consulting Firms

Catlin Group Limited has formed a partnership with two specialist risk management consulting firms, which, it said, would “enhance the services it offers to clients with hijack, kidnap, extortion and wrongful detention exposures.” The partnership with Drum Cussac and Compass …

Google Tells Congress Online Anti-Piracy Bill Goes Too Far

Google Inc. warned U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday that proposed legislation to crack down on foreign websites selling pirated U.S. movies, music or other counterfeit goods goes too far and could depress investment. The legislation has pit Internet giants, consumer groups …

UK PM Seeks Law Change to Allow Armed Guards on British Vessels

UK Prime Minister David Cameron announced plans to amend British law to allow UK registered vessels to employ armed guards as security, when they are transiting dangerous waters – mainly those off the coast of Somalia. Cameron’s initiative marks a …

Ongoing Pirate Menace Triggers Special Coverage, Security Measures

“Pirates of the Caribbean” they aren’t. They are for the most part desperate men from a failed state that have discovered that one of the world’s oldest professions offers wealth and power, if you’re willing to take the risks. In …

Piracy Attacks at Record Levels But Hijackings Decline

As world piracy hits a new high, more ships are escaping Somali pirates, according to a new report. Piracy on the world’s seas has risen to record levels, with Somali pirates behind 56 percent of the 352 attacks reported this …