Update on piracy off the coast of Somalia
Since early 2008, there have been more than 260 attempts by pirates in the Gulf of Aden and off the east coast of Somalia to attack and hijack vessels. Of these, pirates have successfully hijacked an estimated 73 vessels and taken over a thousand crewmen hostage. The Somali pirates' tactics are now well known and typically involve multiple, high-speed skiffs capable of up to 25 knots operating from a mother ship. Pirates generally have targeted large, slow moving ships that have a low freeboard (the distance from the waterline to the main deck). Statistics indicate that the highest risk vessels are those that operate at 15 knots or less and that have a freeboard of less than 8 meters. Attacks typically occur when visibility is at its lowest - at dawn and dusk -- and the skiffs approach the target vessel from its quarter. Pirates employ machine guns, rifles and rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) and attempt to slow or stop target ships by firing on them so the pirates can then use grappling hooks and portable ladders to get on board.
Liner shipping vessels - containerships and roll-on/roll-off vessels - typically operate at speeds above 18 knots and can often sustain speeds of 22-24 knots. Liner vessels also typically have a much higher freeboard than many other commercial ship types. These two factors have to date resulted in liner shipping vessels being less vulnerable to hijacking. Despite these factors, more than 25 liner shipping vessels have been attacked since February 2008 and two small containerships - the Maersk Alabama (U.S. flag) and the Hansa Stavenger (German flag) - were hijacked in April, 2009.
In February 2009, the World Shipping Council presented written testimony to the U.S. Congress on the subject of piracy off the coast of Somalia to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure - Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. In light of the recent increase in pirate attacks, including the hijacking and rescue of the Maersk Alabama and its crew, various Congressional Committees are holding oversight hearings on piracy. A schedule of these hearings is provided below:
Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 1:00 PM: House Committee on Foreign Affairs – Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight - View Hearing
Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 2:30 PM: Senate Committee on Foreign Relations - View Hearing
Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at 9:30 AM: Senate Committee on Armed Services - View Hearing
Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at 3:00 PM: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation – Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security - View Hearing
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at 10:00 AM: House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure – Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation - View Hearing
The World Shipping Council commends the U.S. Government, the European Union (EU), the United Nations, and the governments of other nations that are participating in the international effort to counter piracy off the coast of Somalia. While the international liner shipping industry will continue to play a part in addressing the piracy threat, the long term solution to this regional breakdown of law and order requires the continuation of international cooperation to address the root causes ashore and to enforce the rule of law and freedom of navigation at sea.