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Rise of Piracy and Other Maritime Insecurity in Somalia (7 April 2009)
Rise of Piracy and Other Maritime Insecurity in Somalia (7 April 2009)
ise of Piracy and Ot"er Maritime Insec#rity in Somalia !emar$s by %avid H& S"inn Ad'#nct Professor( )lliott Sc"ool of International Affairs( *eorge +as"ington ,niversity -.o Caveats /et me begin .it" t.o caveats& 0irst( all of my information comes from open so#rces1 t"ose of yo# .it" access to classified information on t"is s#b'ect may be disappointed .it" some of t"e lac#nae in my presentation& -"e best open so#rce reporting I "ave seen on t"is topic comes from Janes Intelligence Review& Second( I am not a la.yer and my analysis may r#n ro#g"s"od over some of t"e legal n#ances of t"e problem( ."ic" are important( b#t ."ic" s"o#ld also yield to common sense& I apologi2e in advance to t"ose of yo# familiar .it" inside information abo#t Somali piracy and to t"e la.yers in t"e a#dience& I .ill be provocative& %angers along Somali S"ores Maritime travel along t"e Somali coast "as long been a dangero#s b#siness& My o.n official connection .it" Somalia began in 3 4 as t"e State %epartment des$ officer for Somalia& 0or t"e ne5t t.o years I spent abo#t a 6#arter of my assignment s#pporting t"e ,&S& embassy in Mogadis"# in obtaining t"e release from Somalia7s Siad 8arre government of t.o American flagged vessels t"at "ad been capt#red in separate incidents off t"e Somali coast on t"e gro#nds t"at t"ey .ere spy s"ips& In fact( t"ey .ere privately o.ned geop"ysical researc" s"ips t"at "ad finis"ed t"eir oil prospecting .or$ in t"e Persian *#lf area and .ere ret#rning to t"e ,nited States& It too$ mont"s to convince t"e Somali government to release t"e s"ips and t"eir cre.s& -"is .as not piracy( b#t it provides an early e5ample of t"e "a2ards of sailing along t"e Somali coast& Piracy "as been a problem in t"e .aters off Somalia for at least ten years& 8et.een 2009 and 2007( t"ere .ere abo#t fifteen s#ccessf#l or attempted pirate attac$s off Somalia and in t"e *#lf of Aden eac" year& In 200:( t"e n#mber of attac$s '#mped to .ell over 3001 different so#rces #se different n#mbers based on differing interpretations of pirate attac$s& At least forty of t"e attac$s in 200: involving abo#t :00 cre. members .ere s#ccessf#l& -"is dramatic increase attracted t"e attention of t"e international comm#nity& -"e sei2#re of a ,$rainian vessel transporting ;90 million .ort" of -<72 !#ssian tan$s( grenade la#nc"ers and amm#nition and a /iberian<flagged tan$er carrying ;300 million .ort" of Sa#di oil to t"e ,nited States #nderscored t"e concern& -"e pirate attac$s s"ifted from t"e Mogadis"# area to t"e *#lf of Aden at t"e end of 2007& )stimates on t"e amo#nt of ransom money collected by t"e pirates in 200: range from ;90 million to ;320 million& -"is may not so#nd li$e a lot as t"e ,nited States distrib#tes bail o#t money( b#t it is "#ge s#m for impoveris"ed Somalia& In addition(
2 piracy "as ca#sed ins#rance premi#ms for a single transit t"ro#g" t"e *#lf of Aden to rise from as lo. as ;=00 to as m#c" as ;20(000& -"e /egal 8ac$gro#nd -"e ,nited Nations Convention on t"e /a. of t"e Sea defines piracy as any illegal acts of violence( detention or depredation committed o#tside territorial .aters for private >rat"er t"an political? ends by cre. or passengers of a private s"ip or aircraft against anot"er s"ip( persons or cre.& On t"e "ig" seas or in any ot"er place o#tside t"e '#risdiction of a state( any nation may sei2e a pirated s"ip( arrest t"e pirates( and sei2e t"e property on board and s#bmit t"e matter to its civil and criminal co#rts& Only .ars"ips and military aircraft or vessels in government service may e5ercise t"is a#t"ority& In 2003( t"e International Maritime Organi2ation adopted a code of practice for investigating piracy and armed robbery against s"ips& President 8#s" signed in 2007 a compre"ensive and s.eeping policy governing diplomatic and legal action to fig"t piracy& -"e policy emp"asi2ed collaborative strategies by states and t"e maritime ind#stry to prevent pirate attac$s and ot"er criminal acts of violence against ,&S& vessels( persons and interests& In 200:( t"e ,N Sec#rity Co#ncil passed a resol#tion calling on all states to cooperate in co#nter<piracy actions off t"e Somali coast& It a#t"ori2ed operations inside Somalia7s territorial .aters to deny t"at area as a safe "aven for pirates ."o operate o#tside t"e 32<mile limit& At t"e end of 200:( t"e ,nited States sponsored a ,N Sec#rity Co#ncil resol#tion t"at a#t"ori2ed co#ntries to @ta$e all necessary meas#res as"ore in Somalia( incl#ding in its airspaceA to capt#re t"ose persons #sing Somali territory for piracy& %efense Secretary *ates 6#ite properly po#red cold .ater on t"is initiative by pointing o#t t"at t"e international comm#nity does not "ave ade6#ate intelligence to carry o#t land<based see$ and destroy missions against pirates& -"e ,&S& 0ift" 0leet commander ec"oed t"is vie.& +"ile t"ere is no "arm in "aving t"is ,N resol#tion on t"e record( since its passage I don7t believe it "as ever been #sed& In Ban#ary 200 ( t"e ,nited States and t"e ,nited Cingdom signed a memorand#m of #nderstanding .it" Cenya t"at permits t"em to "and over to Cenyan a#t"orities capt#red pirates for prosec#tion& Cenya emp"asi2ed t"at t"is s"o#ld not constit#te an open door for d#mping pirates onto Cenyan soil& It remains to be seen "o effective t"is collaboration .ill be& Also in Ban#ary 200 ( nine co#ntriesD%'ibo#ti( )t"iopia( Cenya( Madagascar( t"e Maldives( t"e Seyc"elles( Somalia( -an2ania( and EemenDsigned an agreement to cooperate in preventing s"ip "i'ac$ings and appre"ending pirates for arrest and prosec#tion& Cno.n as t"e %'ibo#ti Code of Cond#ct( it allo.s one signatory co#ntry to send armed forces into anot"er signatory co#ntry7s territorial .aters to p#rs#e pirates and( in some cases( to 'ointly cond#ct anti<piracy operations& -"e fact is( "o.ever( t"at all of t"ese co#ntries "ave e5tremely limited capacity to deal .it" pirates and t"e code is largely meaningless& Somalia is not party to most of t"e relevant international treaties and does not "ave any co#nter<piracy legislation& 8eca#se no central a#t"ority controls Somalia( "o.ever( t"e point .o#ld be moot even if it "ad co#nter<piracy legislation& -"e Somali
9 -ransitional 0ederal *overnment did conc#r .it" t"e ,N Sec#rity Co#ncil resol#tion t"at allo.s foreign forces to engage in "ot p#rs#it of pirates on Somali territory& +"o Are t"e Somali PiratesF -"e pirate gro#ps c#t across Somali clan lines and tend to live along t"e coastline& -"e n#mber of Somalis involved in piracy "as been estimated as "ig" as 3(=00& -"e #nit operating o#t of Cismay# in so#t"ern Somalia comprises pirates from t"e Ha.iye( %arod and 8ant# clans& One of t"e senior commanders is a Mare"an ."ile t"e 8ant# are former fis"ermen& Pirates operating o#t of Harard"eere nort" of Mogadis"# are dominated by t"e S#leiman s#b<s#b clan& -"ey #se )l %ere and Hobyo as s#pply bases and t"e inland to.ns of *al$ayo and *aro.e in P#ntland as logistical and financial "#bs& According to Janes( Pa$istani and S#danese nationals "elp plan t"e piracy operations o#t of Harard"eere& -"ere are reg#lar contacts bet.een t"e pirates in Cismay# and Harard"eere& %arod gro#ps "ave a base f#rt"er #p t"e Indian Ocean coast at )yl and at t"e ma'or *#lf of Aden port of 8osasso& Somalis are e5ceptionally entreprene#rial& Piracy is a .ay to ma$e money& -"ere is no evidence t"at piracy is directly lin$ed to international terrorism( alt"o#g" many Somali gro#ps get a c#t of t"e ransom money& Janes "as identified a close lin$ bet.een t"e pirates and t"e e5tremist al<S"abab gro#p( ."ic" says it "as lin$s to al<Gaeda& -"e pirates in Cismay# coordinate .it" t"e al<S"abab militia in t"e area( alt"o#g" al<S"abab apparently does not play an active role in t"e pirate attac$s& Al<S"abab re6#ires some pirates to pay a protection fee of = to 30 percent of t"e ransom money& If al<S"abab "elps to train t"e pirates( it mig"t receive 20 percent and #p to =0 percent if it finances t"e piracy operation& -"ere is increasing evidence t"at t"e pirates are assisting al<S"abab .it" arms sm#ggling from Eemen and t.o central Asian co#ntries& -"ey are also reportedly "elping al<S"abab develop an independent maritime force so t"at it can sm#ggle foreign 'i"adist fig"ters and @special .eaponsA into Somalia& A lin$ .it" terrorism is .orrisome( b#t t"e alliance bet.een t"e pirates and al<S"abab is fragile& Pirate Mod#s Operandi Alt"o#g" Somali pirates operate from a variety of bases( t"eir met"odology is similar& -"e attac$ boats are small .ood or fiber<glass fis"ing s$iffs of t.enty to si5ty feet o#tfitted .it" d#al engines of #p to := HP& -"ey are often carried and la#nc"ed by @mot"er s"ips(A #s#ally fis"ing tra.lers or d"o.s t"at .ere commandeered or p#rc"ased by t"e pirates& -"ey #se *PS devices( satellite p"ones and some "ave ac6#ired e6#ipment t"at enables t"em to pic$ #p A#tomatic Identification Signals >AIS? re6#ired by commercial vessels& )ac" s$iff contains t"ree to seven pirates& If t"e attac$ occ#rs in t"e *#lf of Aden( t"e s$iffs overnig"t off t"e coast of Eemen and attac$ ."en morning arrives at speeds of #p to 90 $nots in gro#ps of t.o or t"ree& -"ey often fire a#tomatic .eapons and !P*s at t"e vessel& S"ips t"at stop are more li$ely to be capt#red& -"e pirates #se grappling "oo$s and ladders to board& Pirates t"en force t"e vessel to one of t"e pirate bases at 8argaal( )yl( Hobyo( *araad or Harard"eere ."ere t"ey ma$e a ransom demand& -"e going rate is ;3 to ;2 million( depending on t"e s"ip and cre.& -"e pirates normally receive cas" at t"e point
J ."ere t"e s"ip is being "eld b#t sometimes accept payment to a tr#sted t"ird party o#tside Somalia& Pirates "ave al.ays released t"e s"ips and t"e cre. after payment of t"e ransom and "ave not recapt#red t"e same s"ip& -"e International Naval !esponse -"e s"arp increase in pirate attac$s in 200: res#lted in t"e arrival of additional naval vessels from abo#t t.o do2en co#ntries( most of ."ic" are more dependent on s"ipping t"ro#g" t"is area t"an is t"e ,nited States& Some( s#c" as t"ose from C"ina( !#ssia and India( operate #nder t"eir o.n command b#t coordinate .it" ot"er naval forces& S"ips from t"e )#ropean ,nion operate #nder t"e command of ), NAH0O!( ."ic" began operations in %ecember 200: to protect "#manitarian aid s"ipments& Combined -as$ 0orce 3=0 >C-0<3=0? "as "ad responsibility since 2002 for co#nterterrorism operations off t"e Horn of Africa& In order to free #p C-0<3=0 for co#nterterrorism responsibilities( t"e Combined Naval 0orces establis"ed Combined -as$ 0orce 3=3 >C-0<3=3? in Ban#ary 200 specifically for co#nter<piracy operations in and aro#nd t"e *#lf of Aden( Arabian Sea( Indian Ocean and !ed Sea& ,&S& Navy !ear Admiral -erence McCnig"t is t"e commander of t"e ne. tas$ force& -"ere are c#rrently only fo#r s"ips assigned to C-0<3=3I ,SS 8o5er and ,SS *ettysb#rg from t"e ,nited States( H%MS Absalon from %enmar$ and -C* *ires#n from -#r$ey& It is impossible for s#c" a small force to operate effectively beyond t"e *#lf of Aden& +riting in Stars and Stripes( Bames +arden "as done some e5cellent reporting recently on C-0<3=3& He e5plained t"e operation as follo.s& +"en American forces in t"e *#lf of Aden find a s#spected pirate s$iff( t"e first people to confront t"e s#spected pirates are members of a Coast *#ard /a. )nforcement %etac"ment& -"e ,&S& military is "andling Somali piracy as a criminal problem( not a military one& -"e goal is s#ccessf#l criminal prosec#tion in Cenyan co#rts( and t"at re6#ires a team of legal and la. enforcement personnel& C-0<3=3 foc#ses on criminal prosec#tion instead of offensive operations& A team boards s#spected pirate vessels .it" t"e goal of preserving evidence& Any member of t"e team may be called to testify in Cenyan co#rts and m#st be trained in "o. to testify and ."at types of evidence t"ose co#rts are loo$ing for& -"e pirates are ta$en bac$ to t"e ,SS 8o5er if t"e tas$ force commander determines t"at t"ere is eno#g" evidence to detain t"em& ,&S& personnel do not interrogate t"e s#spects beca#se t"e Cenyans only accept confessions done in front of Cenyan magistrates& -"e teams do not try to #ncover t"e piracy net.or$s& -"eir 'ob is only to collect evidence and let t"e Cenyans get confessions& -"e ,SS 8o5er acts li$e a co#nty 'ail and a moving "olding facility& -"is approac" deserves a c"ance to s#cceed and t"ere is one precedent t"at s#ggests it mig"t .or$& In 2004( Somali pirates capt#red an Indian d"o. in international .aters& -"e ,SS C"#rc"ill .as in t"e vicinity( sei2ed control of t"e vessel and detained t"e pirates& Cenya event#ally agreed to try t"e pirates( ."o .ere convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison& -"is is certainly a better sol#tion t"an t"e more common one of capt#ring Somali pirates and releasing t"em on t"e s"ores of Somalia& -"is practice virt#ally g#arantees t"e pirates .ill be bac$ in b#siness .it"in days& 8#t t"e Cenyan option needs to be .atc"ed closely& Ho. many pirates is Cenya .illing to acceptF Ho. many .ill be convicted and "eld a f#ll termF If t"e n#mber of capt#red
= pirates increases significantly( is t"e international comm#nity prepared to pay t"e costs of t"e Cenyan trialsF I .o#ld also note t"at Cenya7s record in t"e s#ccessf#l prosec#tion of persons lin$ed to international terrorism is poor& If it becomes apparent t"at t"e Cenyan co#rts are #nable or #n.illing to deal .it" t"e Somali pirate problem( t"en it is time to confront piracy more forcef#lly& -"e ,&S& Navy "anded over seven s#spected Somali pirates to t"e Cenyan police in Marc"& Ho. Cenya deals .it" t"em may be telling& At t"e same time( t"ere m#st be a fe. cases ."ere t"ere is incontrovertible intelligence t"at certain Somali vessels are operating as mot"er s"ips for pirates& One of t"e ,&S& s"ips in C-0<3=3 is reported to "ave a Scan )agle ,AH system to "#nt pirate vessels& It can relay detailed pict#res t"at recogni2e t"e flags flo.n on fis"ing boats& It ta$es still p"otos and videos t"at are instantly sent to t"e "ost vessel& +it" t"is $ind of information( ."at prevents t"e international comm#nity from sin$ing a mot"er s"ipF -"at .o#ld send a po.erf#l message t"at piracy is dangero#s and e5pensive& -"ere .as one report early t"is mont" t"at an #nidentified naval vessel in t"e Indian Ocean act#ally san$ a mot"er s"ip& -"e ,&S& 0ift" 0leet command said it "ad no information abo#t t"e incident& It is my #nderstanding t"at t"e ,nited States "as placed special teams on s"ips contracted to "a#l cargo t"ro#g" t"e *#lf of Aden for t"e ,&S& Navy& +"en #nidentified s$iffs approac" one of t"ese vessels at a "ig" speed in open .ater( t"e response is to fire flares to .ard off t"e s$iffs& +"ile t"is .or$s .ell for t"e s"ip .it" special teams on board( it simply alerts t"e pirates t"at t"ey need to sei2e anot"er s"ip& ,sing live amm#nition against fast approac"ing s$iffs in t"e open ocean .o#ld send anot"er po.erf#l message& -"e pirates .ill #nderstand t"is $ind of response& %ropping t"em off along t"e Somali coast is no deterrent and even leaving t"em in t"e "ands of Cenyan co#rts may be ins#fficient& On t.o occasions( 0rance s#ccessf#lly capt#red Somali pirates and bro#g"t t"em to Paris to stand trial& -"e ,nited States "as been #n.illing to #se t"is met"od& 8#t t"e 0renc" navy also reportedly t#rned over forty<five pirates to local a#t"orities in P#ntland& -"is is tantamo#nt to release& A Marc" 200 ,N report e5pressed concern abo#t complicity bet.een members of t"e P#ntland regional government and pirate activities& C-0<3=3 "as no a#t"ority to operate on land1 it is strictly a maritime force& 8#rea#cratically( it falls #nder t"e ,&S& Central Command ."ile Somalia is #nder A0!ICOM( ."ic" "as responsibility for t"e Combined Boint -as$ 0orce<Horn of Africa >CB-0<HOA? based in nearby %'ibo#ti& CB-0<HOA "as no anti<piracy responsibility and apparently does not cond#ct operations inside Somalia& -"ere seems to be a b#rea#cratic disconnect "ere& !ear Admiral McCnig"t commented to Stars and Stripes t"at pirate attac$s can be stopped p#rely from t"e sea .it" eno#g" s"ips& +"ile t"is may be tr#e in a tec"nical sense( it is #nrealistic beca#se all t"e .orld7s naval forces do not "ave eno#g" available s"ips to protect t"e 20(000 vessels t"at pass t"ro#g" t"e *#lf of Aden ann#ally and t"e .ider 2&= million s6#are miles of ocean ."ere Somali pirate attac$s "ave occ#rred in recent years& P#rs#ant to a ,N resol#tion( t"e Contact *ro#p on Piracy off t"e Coast of Somalia "eld its first meeting in Ne. Eor$ in Ban#ary& Its goal is to facilitate disc#ssion and coordination of actions among states and organi2ations to s#ppress piracy off t"e coast of Somalia& It .elcomes participation by any nation or international organi2ation ma$ing a tangible contrib#tion to t"e co#nter<piracy effort( or to any co#ntry significantly
4 affected by piracy off t"e coast of Somalia& !epresentatives of t.enty<fo#r co#ntries and si5 organi2ations attended t"e first meeting& Somali *rievances -"ere are also important iss#es on t"e Somali side& -"ere is a long "istory of illegal fis"ing in t"e ric" .aters off Somalia( especially by )#ropean and Asian vessels& -"e international comm#nity "as never ta$en t"e iss#e serio#sly and Somalia "as been incapable of dealing .it" t"e problem since t"e central government collapsed in 3 3& One of Somalia7s political leaders complained in 3 2 to t"e government of Italy t"at #nlicensed Italian tra.lers .ere destroying marine reso#rces and t"e ecosystem& It is generally agreed t"at foreign fis"ing vessels made indiscriminate #se of pro"ibited met"ods of fis"ing incl#ding drift nets( #nder .ater e5plosives( $illing of endangered species and destr#ction of reefs( biomass and fis" "abitats& Somali fis"ermen appealed .it"o#t s#ccess to t"e ,N and t"e international comm#nity to "elp t"em rid t"e co#ntry7s s"ores of foreign s"ips& -"e Cenya<based Seafarers Assistance Programme reported in 2004 t"at "#ndreds of illegal fis"ing boats .ere in Somali .aters at any one time in a ; 0 million a year b#siness& Somalia7s minister of fis"eries and marine reso#rces stated t"is mont" t"at an estimated 220 foreign<o.ned vessels .ere engaged in #nlicensed and illegal fis"ing in Somali .aters& +"ile it is diffic#lt to envisage t"ese s"ips plying Somali .aters today in vie. of t"e t"reat of piracy( t"e international comm#nity s"o#ld ta$e steps to ens#re t"is practice does not ret#rn once t"e t"reat of piracy is over& Allegations of to5ic .aste d#mping( oil spills and n#clear .aste d#mping along t"e Somali coast are more diffic#lt to prove and seem to date bac$ to an earlier period& A former e5ec#tive director of ,N)P c"arged in 3 2 t"at Italian companies .ere d#mping to5ic .aste along t"e Somali coast& !ecent evidence of to5ic .aste d#mping is s$etc"y( alt"o#g" t"e statement released in Ban#ary by t"e Contact *ro#p on Piracy off t"e Coast of Somalia referred to @t"e prevalence of illegal fis"ing and to5ic .aste d#mpingA off t"e coast& Ot"er negative developments related to piracy in Somali .aters( in addition to t"e sm#ggling of arms t"at I "ave already noted( incl#de "#man traffic$ing( migrant sm#ggling and t"e narcotic trade from Afg"anistan& Somalis die ro#tinely as t"ey try to ma$e t"eir .ay to Eemen& Any international effort t"at foc#ses e5cl#sively on ending piracy against foreign s"ips .ill receive little Somali s#pport #nless it also ma$es a serio#s effort to stop t"ese activities t"at "arm Somali interests& Ne5t Steps -"e first t"ree mont"s of 200 .itnessed a decrease in t"e n#mber of s#ccessf#l pirate attac$s( especially in t"e *#lf of Aden& 8y one acco#nt( t"e pirate s#ccess rate fell from a "ig" of =0 percent to abo#t 90 percent& At t"e pea$ of pirate activity off Somalia( seventeen vessels .ere being "eld& 8y t"e end of Marc"( t"ere .ere only nine vessels and 3=9 cre. "eld by pirates& -"is .as probably d#e to a combination of more effective co#nter<piracy efforts and ro#g" seas t"at made it more diffic#lt for t"e pirates to operate&
7 Nevert"eless( t"e International Maritime 8#rea# reported forty<five attac$s in 200 as of early Marc"& Since t"e beginning of April( t"ere "as been an increase in attac$s& Many of t"em "ave occ#rred "#ndreds of na#tical miles from Somali s"ores& -"ere .as even an attempt on a b#l$ carrier some 00 na#tical miles from t"e coast& -"ere "as been a cl#ster of attac$s abo#t J00 na#tical miles so#t"east of Mogadis"#& -"e most recent s#ccessf#l attac$s occ#rred near t"e Seyc"elles Islands in t"e middle of t"e Indian Ocean& Somali pirates sei2ed a yac"t and t"en an oceanograp"ic researc" cr#iser near t"e island of Ass#mption& -"e latter reportedly is being ta$en to Harard"eere on t"e Somali coast& Somali pirates capt#red a *erman container vessel abo#t J00 miles off t"e so#t"ern Somali coast bet.een Cenya and t"e Seyc"elles& A Eemeni t#gboat( -ai.an fis"ing tra.ler( 0renc" yac"t and 8ritis" cargo s"ip "ave also fallen prey in recent days& More attention needs to be given to t"e role of Eemen in t"e attac$s t"at ta$e place in t"e *#lf of Aden& -"e ma'ority of t"e attac$s occ#r closer to t"e Eemeni coast t"an t"e Somaliland and P#ntland coasts& ,&S& Admiral Mar$ 0it2gerald( ."o is assigned to NA-O( commented at a recent naval conference in So#t" Africa t"at Somali pirates are obtaining f#el and engine parts from individ#als( not t"e government( in Eemen& A Eemeni coastg#ard official 6#ic$ly denied t"e allegation& /ogistical s#pport for Somali pirates in Eemen s"o#ld come as a s#rprise to no one& -"e reaction to Somali piracy from t"e s"ipping comm#nity "as been interesting& According to Janes, t"e pirate attac$s in t"e *#lf of Aden in 200: impacted less t"an one<"alf of one percent of total s"ipping& 8eca#se of t"e relatively lo. ris$ t"at a vessel .ill be capt#red( many of t"e s"ipping companies are '#st not .illing to pay t"e cost of meaningf#l sec#rity& -"ey are inclined to play t"e odds rat"er t"an increase t"eir over"ead& A fe. s"ipping lines "ave rero#ted certain s"ips aro#nd t"e Cape of *ood Hope( t"#s avoiding t"e S#e2 Canal and *#lf of Aden& -"is adds significantly to t"e cost of s"ipping as it increases by 9: percent t"e distance bet.een !otterdam and Singapore& -"ere is also some ambivalence abo#t t"e efficacy of c#rrent protection meas#res& In late Ban#ary( pirates capt#red a *erman li6#efied<gas tan$er& +"en attac$ed( t"e vessel "ad been part of a convoy in t"e *#lf of Aden and .as transiting t"e designated sec#rity corridor .it" a n#mber of ot"er s"ips and an Indian .ars"ip& It "ad even delayed its transit t"ro#g" t"e *#lf of Aden by si5teen "o#rs in order to travel .it" a convoy& )vents moved so 6#ic$ly( "o.ever( t"at t"e Indian .ars"ip .as #nable to protect t"e *erman tan$er before pirates boarded t"e vessel& Nearly everyone ."o "as st#died t"is problem "as concl#ded t"at t"e only .ay to s#bstantially eliminate Somali piracy is to establis" an effective Somali national government t"at is committed to ending piracy and "as t"e land<based and maritime reso#rces to accomplis" t"e tas$& -"ere is no prospect t"is .ill "appen soon( alt"o#g" t"ere is positive movement in t"is direction& It is e6#ally essential to ta$e into acco#nt Somali grievances s#c" as illegal fis"ing by foreign vessels in Somali .aters&