Piracy on the High Seas

Piracy and how to deal with it

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

The question is as to what approach shall be taken and my suggestion would be the one of times gone by. Some of my suggestions will be seen as controversial but...

While we may no longer be dealing when it comes to piracy and pirates on the high seas with pirates of the Caribbean and the likes of Black Beard & Co. piracy on the high seas is still a threat, and in certain sea areas more so than ever.

Merchant vessels are more vulnerable nowadays as merchant vessels and merchant mariners are no longer armed nor are they trained in the use of weapons and defensive methods, bar those of outrunning and outmaneuvering the pirates. The latter methods do not and cannot work as merchant shipt are way too cumbersome today.

We may need an urgent rethink there.

Nautilus, the seafarers union, are against arming vessels and crews and so do seem many sailors and masters but...

In addition to the fact that ships sail unarmed into harm's way we seem to have naval forces of certain nations reluctant to intervene when they see a hijack taking place, as in the case of the British couple who were seized with their yacht.

A Royal Navy vessel on patrol apparently witnessed the act but did nothing, claiming they were afraid to endanger the lives of the people on board the yacht. Are we really to believe that was the real concern or was it that they did not want to put their sailors in danger for but a small yacht?

In my opinion it is time that the maritime world would reconsider the option that was used against the pirates in the Caribbeans and go back to the ways we dealt with pirates in some centuries ago.

The French Navy and its Legion Marines seem to be able to deal with pirates much more effective. They do not mess about. They act.

When one heard the other day one of the British task force commander talk on the radio stating that it was difficult to get the pirates, as and when captured, in front of a court and hence there was little that could be done, if one would read between the lines, he basically told the pirates that they could go on without having much to fear.

What court is needed to deal with such pirates. The law of the sea was that a captain could act in such matters and it is time we went back to that way. Pirates would soon become a thing of the past, proper, if they would know that attacking a ship would be a 99% chance of going straight to Hell.

Presently, however, the business is thriving for them along the coast of Somalia and the Yemen, and other such places.

With the right attitude by all merchant shipping those people would think more than twice to attack a ship in order too capture it.

Pirates are criminals, but on the high seas, and no country's direct jurisdiction applies there bar the one of the ship attacked or the law of the seas.

Let us make it plain to the pirates that the law is that if you attack a ship you will be engaged in a fight that you will, more than likely, lose and if captured you will be tried by a court on board ship and the sentence is to be more likely than not death.

The “developed” world, who runs most merchant shipping, is too soft, however, and we have way too many back room lawyers telling us that the human rights of such thugs have to be respected.

A little change in attitude from the merchant marines and the outcome would b e a different one and piracy soon would be gone for good. They pirates would find another hobby.

Just some food for thought and a different perspective. It is a war out there with different rules that at home in the confines of the old Bailey.

© 2010