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Maritime Piracy

Maritime piracy—the plundering, hijacking, or detention of a ship in international waters—has evolved over the centuries but remains a challenge to international law. RAND advises a range of stakeholders—governments, militaries, and corporations—on ways to prevent or mitigate piracy activities and improve international collaboration, response, and recovery.

Journal Article

Journal Article

Lessons from Maritime Narcotics Interdiction: Interdiction in the Maritime Source, Transit, and Arrival Zones of the Western Hemisphere

Sharing information with foreign partners and regional, local, and private actors has been proven to be absolutely critical to success in combating any transnational threat and preventing illegal activities from threatening the homeland and allies.

Nov 5, 2020
Report

The Risk-Mitigation Value of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential: A Comprehensive Security Assessment of the TWIC Program

The Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) is designed to enhance security at U.S. ports. This report provides the findings from an assessment of the TWIC program, along with the assessors' recommendations.

May 13, 2020
Report

The Thickening Web of Asian Security Cooperation

Key U.S. allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific have been strengthening their defense ties with regional actors over the past two decades. To what extent is this a response to the perceived threat of a rising, assertive China? And how will these new commitments affect the United States?

Aug 29, 2019
Journal Article

Journal Article

Crossing Interagency Lines: Enhancing Navy-Coast Guard Cooperation to Combat Gray Zone Conflicts of East Asia

Using the region of East Asia as a case study, paper proposes that greater coordination and interoperability between navies and coast guards should be pursued among States in the region as one prescription to address gray zone challenges.

Jan 8, 2019
Journal Article

Journal Article

Assessing Recent Developments in Indonesian Maritime Security

Despite a daunting set of maritime challenges, Indonesia has placed renewed emphasis on maritime security governance.

Oct 16, 2018
Commentary

Assessing Recent Developments in Indonesian Maritime Security

Despite a daunting set of maritime challenges, Indonesia has placed renewed emphasis on maritime security governance. While the programs in place may take decades to bear fruit, Indonesia is on the path to securing the waterways and infrastructure so key to its overall economic development.

Oct 12, 2018
Report

Report

A Preliminary Assessment of Indonesia's Maritime Security Threats and Capabilities

This study identifies the threats and priority areas for Indonesia in the maritime security domain as a first step in an overall assessment of capability requirements and gaps.

Apr 18, 2018
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?

Aug 1, 2017
Report

Report

Against the rising tide: an overview of the growing criminalization of the Mediterranean basin

This publication is part of a series of four RAND Perspectives (PE) each focusing on different challenges in the Mediterranean region. The focus of this PE is on defence and security issues and their implications for regional stability.

Jan 26, 2017
Report

Report

Cross-Cutting Challenges and their Implications for the Mediterranean region

This publication is part of a series of four RAND Perspectives (PE) each focusing on different challenges in the Mediterranean region. The focus of this PE is on cross-cutting challenges and their implications for regional stability and security.

Jan 26, 2017
Commentary

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.

Nov 4, 2016
Commentary

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.

Jul 5, 2016
Commentary

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.

Apr 6, 2016
Commentary

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.

Apr 29, 2014
Blog

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.

Oct 25, 2013
Commentary

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.

Oct 11, 2013
Research Brief

Research Brief

The Future of Sea Power in the Western Pacific

Explores the future relationship between U.S. and Chinese sea power in the context of historical sea-power rivalries and recent technological developments, and discusses the potential of pursuing maritime security cooperation in the Western Pacific.

Apr 26, 2013
Report

China's Growing Sea Power Can Be Countered by Technology, Maritime Cooperation

The United States should respond to China's increasing sea power in the Western Pacific region by exploiting technology to make its naval forces less vulnerable, while also pursuing regional maritime security cooperation that includes China.

Apr 26, 2013
News Release

News Release

U.S. Military's Role with Petroleum Is to Assure Security

Energy purchases made by the U.S. Department of Defense do not influence world oil prices, making cutting fuel use the only effective choice to reduce what the Pentagon spends on petroleum fuels.

Jun 19, 2012
Report

Report

What Can Be Done to Increase Asia's Sea-Lane Security?

The sea lanes that supply Asia's energy needs are already vulnerable to geopolitical concerns and the threat of piracy. One approach to protecting them would be employ multiple U.S. military and government elements; a second would be to promote the capabilities of and cooperation among nations in the region.

Jun 19, 2012

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RAND Topic:
Maritime Piracy

Topic Synonyms:
Pirating

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