Two press releases popped up yesterday in our Inbox which touch on Somali piracy. One is from the SaveOurSeafarers (SOS) group, which has received a fillip from the Philippine and British governments’ reiteration of support for their anti-piracy campaign. The other is from the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) – about the new regulations on ship’s emissions and the piracy problem, two topics high on the agenda of the 13th September ICS Board meeting. Nothing exciting in either news bulletin, yet both serve to remind us of the importance of speaking plainly and earnestly.
We’re tired of hearing platitudes, slogans and motherhood statements whenever the subject of Somali piracy is brought up. Alas, we got another dose from the SOS press release. After reporting that the Philippines’ Labour and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz has lauded the SOS campaign for its “unrelenting” efforts to raise public awareness on the deleterious effects of piracy, particularly in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, the press release quotes the lady as saying: “We are always mindful of the policy of the administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III for enhanced overseas foreign workers protection. Foremost of this is to push for (the) global call to stamp out piracy in the high seas, which is now affecting global maritime commerce.”
In contrast, ICS Chairman Spyros Polemis does away with verbal clutter and goes straight to the matter. He is quoted in the ICS press release as saying: “The truth about governments’ failure, and the terrible suffering endured by captured seafarers, might be unpalatable to many politicians. But our expectation is that the frequency of attacks against shipping will escalate again dramatically, once the monsoon season is over. The current military response – with only a handful of navy ships available to provide protection on any given day – has just been a sticking plaster on a gaping wound. We have still not yet seen the political will from governments needed to develop a comprehensive military strategy that will have a decisive impact.”
Some may argue that it’s all a matter of style. Maybe so, but we prefer straight talk to rhetoric in regard to Somali piracy. And the less talk, the better. The problem has been festering for too long. ~Barista Uno
What has slipped by under the radar is a survey by Intercargo, the bulk carrier association, that showed a direct link between a shipowner’s safety performance and the vulnerability of the company’s ships to piracy. Not a small link – of 65 pirated pirated bulkers every single one had a poor safety record.
What we see are companies who don’t give a centavo for the safety of the seafarers aboard their ships demanding that governments do what they refuse to do for their own seafarers.
Sadly, the seafarers suffer.
Dear Barista,
The time for discussions is more than past. Politically correct solutions will only worsen the situation, meaning more attacked vessels and more seafarers taken hostage besides the few hundred already in the hands of these terrorists. Here rest only one solution: the risk for pirates to survive their trades must become unbearably high. This is for the short term. For the long term, military coastal action until a credible government (in Somalia) is in place.
Couttie,
Nice excuse, but as an ex-mariner I guarantee you that Ships Safety Culture can’t prevent piracy attacks. There are only a few preventive actions you can take as a Master, which have nothing to do with vessel safety standards or SOLAS in that respect. So the link made in these reports has been made and believed by Association administrators.
“the risk for pirates to survive their trades must become unbearably high.”
I guess we could nuke Somalia, Nigeria, parts of South America, much of Indonesia and Southern parts of the Philippines off the face of the planet.
Alternatively, kidnap the pirates’ families and incinerate each one alive on live TV.
That might work.
However, my views are based on consultations with master mariners with far more experience than I have, and many ship security experts, who have more direct experience.
As the former head of MI5 makes clear – firepower doesn’t work. The approach you suggest, which I appreciate, is born of your frustration with an awful situation and it will fail.
The evidence shows a direct link between poor safety culture and pirate hijackings. You cannot dismiss that as a mere excuse. It is a fact. You may not like it, but it is a fact.
“We have still not yet seen the political will from governments needed to develop a comprehensive military strategy that will have a decisive impact.”
The shipping industry hid piracy for 20 years. Where was the ICS back then? Where was industry’s will back then?
The industry only started complaining when insurance rates went up, not when seafarers were taken hostage.
Couttie,
Your proposal of how to reach that Goal might be look funny or childisch but gives away your style of discussion and is below my level to seriously comment on.
Secondly, I question your experience compared to Master Mariners given the fact that you don’t possess any STCW/IMO Maritime Certificate of Competence (COC)and you don’t have ever sailed one nautical mile as an AB/Cadet or an Officer in charge of a Nautcal Watch. In view of these facts and peer conversations are still standing concerning On Board Safety Records and Piracy is a fabricated link for I don’t know what or which reason.
“Your proposal of how to reach that Goal might be look funny or childisch but gives away your style of discussion and is below my level to seriously comment on.”
But you propose no practical alternative, just some airy fairy “let’s shoot everybody”.
It does not work.You do not understand the problem. As master aboard a dredger, you can’t be expected to.
Gentlemen, thanks for commenting on the article. However, Marine Café Blog shall have no more of the effrontery and snide remarks. I hope you understand.
Correct, Barista. Vigorous debate should be encouraged but personal attacks are unseemly.
Jan,
I’m interested in your claim that all connections between safety records and piracy are fraudulent. This would require dozens of PSC inspectors to record detentions that never happened in the expectation that, at some future date, these vessels would be taken by pirates. Your claim is extremely serious and I’m sure we are all waiting to see your evidence. If you have any.
Couttie,
I did not put the word fraudulent in my mouth. I questioned the conclusion that vessels with a weak safety record would be more easy targets for piracy attacks. Knowing the tricks adviaed to masters to avoid boarding of pirates on board vessels don’t have any bearing with the vessels’ safety records or safety culture awareness. That, Couttie, was my point. Besides, the experts who are telling the world that there is a statistical link do have to prove that statement, not me.
Intercargo provides the data. Of 65 bulkers taken, every one had a poor safety record. It’s in the latest Intercargo statistical survey. Please do your homework. Google it.
I never make any statement that cannot be supported by facts. My opinion does not matter, the facts do.
To quote Intercargo:
“We find that the implementation of Best Management Practices can be correlated with the Company DPI rating used elsewhere in this report in that the 38 bulk carriers seized since 2008 have a below average Company DPI rating of 6.84. This points to the fact that owners who operate ships properly appear to implement self-help measures more seriously as well.”
In other words, there is a direct and traceable connection.
I shall be interested to know what evidence, rather than merely opinion, you have to dispute that statement.
Couttie,
You have to read the lines correctly as it is written as follows: “This points to the fact that owners who operate ships properly APPEAR to implement self-help measures more seriously as well.” Well, we know all these so called self help measures, which can be counted on one hand (and) which have been proven not to be effective. It is also “fact” that vessels with armed guards on board have so far not been attacked.
I’ve discussed the matter with Intercargo and their reading concurs with mine, so I read the lines correctly and any other reading is incorrect. At this time, given all available evidence there appears to be a link and that link is considered strong, with 100 per cent of hijacked vessels in the period covered having poor safety performance indicators.
I have spoken with former hostages and their accounts are congruent with the findings by Intercargo.
Typically, there were no preparations for passage through the pirate area and lookouts were either absent or not utilised properly.
Further, I have spoken with a number of masters who have come under actual armed attack and driven off the pirates using ‘self-help’ methods, and other who have successfully avoided attacks using ‘self-help’ methods.
There is a good record of the effectiveness of these methods. Used wisely and imaginatively they are effective.
There is certainly a valid case for putting armed guards on ships. Attacks certainly have been made on ships with armed guards aboard, and attacks have been successfully deterred.
Armed guards are not a ‘magic bullet’. The security industry is poorly controlled and there are many self-proclaimed experts whose inexperience and ignorance presents a danger to the vessels. There are companies with high ethical and professional standards but there are many ‘cowboys’ out there, some with impressive military experience which does not necessarily translate to the maritime domain.
Also, pirates have shown themselves well able to adapt to changing circumstances and a number of scenaria exist by which they can easily challenge and invalidate the use of firearms against them.
Couttie,
Success and failure to deter an attack are heavily influenced by the competence and experience of the Master and Crew, and the competence of the attacking Pirates.
Self proclaimed experts do exist in every field with indeed all the related dangers.
And No, armed guards are no “magic bullet” but at this moment it is the best we have and can rely on. One of the reasons the International Shipping Community has to act swiftly and decisively is not to give the Pirates Business time to adapt and to grow. This business is heavily financed by International Crime Syndicates (source: US Embassy Jakarta).