Maritime Piracy

q&a

Enhancing China's Status as a Great Power

China is investing heavily in its military modernization program as it aims to extend its power in the region as well as globally. How will China's growing ability to project power affect U.S. regional goals?

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South Korea Cracks Down on Illegal Chinese Fishing, with Violent Results

In the Yellow Sea and elsewhere, Chinese fishermen have shown an increasing willingness to challenge attempts by coast guards to enforce fishing laws. Earlier this week, after repeated warnings, the Korea Coast Guard opened fire on a Chinese vessel fishing illegally in Korean waters.

Lyle J. Morris

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Indonesia-China Tensions in the Natuna Sea: Evidence of Naval Efficacy Over Coast Guards?

The notion that Southeast Asian countries should employ coast guards instead of navies to enforce maritime laws had been gaining currency. But many of the coast guard fleets lack sufficient capacity to deal with the threats along their coast and in disputed waters in the South China Sea.

Lyle J. Morris

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Ten Years After the Safe Port Act, Are America's Ports Secure?

The economic importance and visibility of America's ports make them attractive terrorism targets. Port security has improved, but many of the threats that motivated the Safe Ports Act in 2006 remain, and new dangers have emerged, including cyber threats.

Henry H. Willis @HenryHWillis

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Why the Dangerous New Turn for Piracy Matters

Off the western coast of Africa, just north of the equator, the Gulf of Guinea has endured piracy for decades. But recent spikes in new, more dangerous forms of piracy imply a troubling sense of invincibility in the minds of the perpetrators.

Anthony L. Russell

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Using Air Power Against Pirates Off West Africa

A U.S. Official has confirmed that two mariners thought to be U.S. Citizens were kidnapped from an American ship in a pirate attack off of the West African coast — the 40th such attack reported in the Gulf of Guinea in 2013. The current security situation in the Gulf has affected petroleum and natural gas production.

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Somali Piracy All About Economics

The average Somali lives on less than $2 a day. Even fishermen, who are comparatively well off by national standards, face difficulties making a living due to the chronic depletion of sea stocks from years of poaching and illegal dumping of toxic waste. Under such circumstances, the allure of piracy is clear.

Peter Chalk

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Industry Insights: What's So Hard About Stopping Piracy?

Containing persistent maritime disorder might be more fruitful and could lay the foundations for a successful transition to better use of the sea once the societal factors—an even longer term problem—have been resolved, writes Laurence Smallman.

Laurence Smallman

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Kowtowing to Pirates' Ransoms Fuels Maritime Piracy

Instead of fanning piracy, international businesses need to heed policy. Ransoms in the short term can only lead to more problems in the long term, writes Laurence Smallman.

Laurence Smallman

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Stormy Seas off Somalia

Only by addressing the poverty and lack of central authority in Somalia can the international community lower maritime crime and violence off the Horn of Africa, writes Peter Chalk.

Peter Chalk

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An Old Scourge Needs a Modern Solution

Piracy is a crime at sea, but it starts on land. To thwart the Somali piracy career path, the world community should put funds toward protecting local fishing grounds and building a national coast guard capability in Somalia, writes Peter Chalk.

Peter Chalk

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On Dry Land - The Onshore Drivers of Piracy

Piracy is a growing international problem, primarily around the Horn of Africa. The international response has been largely military in nature and focused exclusively on the maritime theatre, ignoring key land drivers of piracy, which will resurface once the military actions end, write Peter Chalk and Laurence Smallman.

Peter Chalk, Laurence Smallman

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Opposing View: Keep Arms Off Ships

Does the provision of private security contractors provide a viable solution to the growing problem of piracy off the Horn of Africa? Quite apart from the high cost — a robust security operation can run as much as $21,000 a day — employing security contractors poses problems on several fronts, writes Peter Chalk.

Peter Chalk

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Who Has the Will to Fight Piracy?

The recent French and American rescues of hostages held by pirates off the coast of Somalia were necessary and proper. No one believes these actions will end piracy. But unless we impose risks on the pirates--which means taking some risks ourselves--piracy will certainly flourish, writes Brian Michael Jenkins.

Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins

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Piracy Still Threatens the Freedom of the Seas

As recent events off the Horn of Africa have demonstrated, armed violence at sea is emerging as a growing threat.... Piracy, in particular, threatens the freedom of the seas, increases the cost of international business, endangers political security through corruption, and could trigger a major environmental disaster, write Peter Chalk, Laurence Smallman.

Peter Chalk, Laurence Smallman

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Piracy Needs Regional Answer

The international community is at something of a loss as to how to respond to the increasingly audacious nature of piracy off the Horn of Africa.... What's needed is a less dramatic and more nuanced approach, one with a greater focus on the land-based violence in Somalia, home of the pirates, writes Peter Chalk.

Peter Chalk

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Africa Suffers Wave of Maritime Violence

Southeast Asia and, especially Indonesia, continues to constitute the main area of concern when it comes to maritime piracy, typically accounting for over half the attacks reported in any given year. However, Africa is experiencing an increasingly serious problem, particularly around the Horn on the continent's east coast and the western stretch of waters from Guinea to Nigeria.

Peter Chalk