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Leisure Craft Warned to Keep Clear of Piracy Hotspots
![EUNAVFOR Logo](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/eunavfor-logo-10957.jpg)
European Union Naval Force Commander reminds yacht & leisure craft owners piracy still a danger in Gulf of Aden & Indian Ocean. Rear Admiral Potts who is the operation commander of the European Union’s counter piracy mission (EU NAVFOR) off the coast of Somalia reminds the yachting and leisure craft community that whilst pirate attacks have reduced off the Horn of Africa over the past year, the threat…
USS Bainbridge Captain Tells His Sea Story
![Castellano & Phillips: Photo credit USN](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/castellano-phillips-photo-credit-usn-10781.jpg)
Navy Capt. Frank Castellano shares his 'Alabama Maersk' rescue experience with Naval Postgraduate School students and faculty. Capt. Frank Castellano,a renowned Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) alumnus and former 'USS Bainbridge' (DDG-96) commander addressed students and faculty at NPS' King Auditorium recently. USS Bainbridge first caught the public's attention after it led the dramatic rescue operation that freed Maersk Alabama Captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates in 2009.
Dubai-based Counter-Piracy Team Warns Mariners
![Boarding Operation: Photo credit MOD](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/boarding-operation-photo-credit-mod-10737.jpg)
With the ending of this year's monsoon season the British Navy reinforces their warning to seafarers to beware pirates. Attacks by ‘pirate action groups’ trying to hijack merchant shipping off the Horn of Africa are expected to increase, which is the business end of the Royal Navy’s efforts to curb the scourge of modern-day piracy and wider maritime crime in the region – and it’s about to get busier.
Digital Approach to Maritime Piracy Issues
A Scottish company has launched onto the global shipping market the first comprehensive software product designed to combat the increasing problem of modern-day piracy at sea.
Hired Guns Taming Somali Coast
Many ships unwilling to wait for warship-escorted convoys now use a detachment of 4 or 5 armed guards as they transit pirate high-risk areas. At the moment there's…
Flag Victor validates WatchStander technology
![Watchstander's fully automated system detects and identifies pirates before launching a series of non-lethal counter measures.](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/hstanders-fully-automated-system-detects-10579.jpg)
A NEWLY launched anti-piracy system has been given the thumbs up by maritime security and operations consultants Flag Victor. The WatchStander system was originally developed for the US naval fleet but has been modified and adapted for use by commercial vessels, cruise ships and yachts. The fully automated system detects and identifies pirates before launching a series of non-lethal counter measures.
First Pirate Venture After Monsoon Comes to Watery End
![Pirate Suspects Captured: Photo credit EUNAVFOR](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/pirate-suspects-captured-photo-credit-10567.jpg)
EU Naval Force flagship, 'ITS San Giusto' stopped and later sank a pirate skiff in the Somali Basin after taking off 7 suspect pirates. The EU warship, carrying out counter-piracy patrols as part of Operation Atalanta, sighted the skiff carrying a ladder and up to 20 fuel drums 180 miles east of Socotra and immediately launched its helicopter to investigate. Once at the scene, the boarding team from San Giusto boarded the vessel and apprehended the men.
Pirates Beware as Somalia State-building Begins
“There is definitely unimaginable change in Somalia from a war situation to an increasing peaceful situation,” says UN top envoy. “It may be more difficult, it may be more challenging…
Latest NATO Report Indicates Pirates Still Weatherbound
During the reporting period of 26 September to 02 October 2012 there were no piracy related incidents in the High Risk Area (HRA). In the period the NATO Shipping…
Clinical Study on Effects of Piracy on Seafarers
![The Report: Image credit SCI](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/the-report-image-credit-sci-10443.jpg)
The Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI), with New York’s Mount Sinai School of Medicine, report on the effects of piracy on seafarers. While incidents of piracy decline off the Horn of Africa, an inestimable number of seafarers continue to bear the psychological impact of captivity by pirates. To describe their condition and to advise the maritime industry on how to care for affected individuals, the Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI)…
Africa Seeks to Make Maritime More Economically Important
![Participants at the opening ceremony of the African Maritime meeting held in Mombasa, Kenya.](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/participants-at-the-opening-ceremony-10402.jpg)
Plagued by low sources of revenue in their economies, African maritime stakeholders are meeting in Mombasa, Kenya to look into ways the industry could add to national revenue base. Key debate issue on the first day revolved around whether Africa should adopt an open or closed ship registry system. While maritime experts and industry players yearn for an open form of registry, viewed as a means to boost the number of ships in the continent…
Report Sheds Light on Seafarers Affected by Piracy
SCI publishes first report from its clinical study to help the maritime industry examine the impact of piracy on seafarers. While incidents of piracy decline off the Horn of Africa…
Allied Naval Exercises Begin Off Scotland
![USS Gettysburg Sailors Cast Off: Photo credit USN](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/uss-gettysburg-sailors-cast-off-10383.jpg)
'Joint Warrior', a two-week exercise, designed and led by the Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff (JTEPS) in the UK has begun. 'Joint Warrior' is the largest military exercise in Europe and began off the coast of Scotland, Oct. 1, 2012. "The exercise is designed to test the skill, knowledge and equipment of the participants in a range of different environments," said Capt. Paul Titterton, director of JTEPS.
Ambrey Risk Warns Against Relaxation of Vigilance
![](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/-10368.jpg)
Following the report from the International Maritime Bureau announcing a drop in global piracy during the first half of 2012 there have been calls for shipping operators to avoid any temptation to relax their vigilance against the threat. Despite the reported reduction, attacks are still common with over 210 taking place around the world so far this year. The attacks by Somali pirates have spread to an even wider region with many taking place more than 1…
Non-Lethal Defense Against Maritime Piracy Unveiled
A TEAM of technology visionaries has today unveiled what it believes is the most effective way to end maritime piracy, and save lives and billions of dollars each year.
Maritime Intelligence Agency Counsels Against Pirate Complacency
![Dryad Operations Room:Photo credit Dryad Maritime](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/dryad-operations-roomphoto-credit-dryad-10282.jpg)
Dryad Maritime predicts that, despite industry optimism of 2012, the end of the South West monsoon season will see the resumption of pirate attacks. Pirate operatives have awoken from their hibernation to venture forth from safe havens and launch long-range mothership-enabled pirate operations with the first confirmed attack in the Arabian Sea earlier this week. Dryad Maritime’s combination of monitoring and regular observation of environmental conditions has confirmed that…
Singapore Allows Counter-piracy Private Security Guards
The Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) issues guidance on use of privately contracted armed personnel on board its ships. The guidance is line with the…
Somalia Piracy Threat Unlikely to Diminish Says Analyst
Tim Holt, Head of Intelligence at Special Contingency Risks (SCR), part of the Willis Group, gives his reasons, suggest remedies. • “Piracy is the second largest generator of income in Somalia…
Piracy Fight Becoming a Private Battle
![Map Courtesy of Lowry Institute](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/map-courtesy-of-lowry-institute-10036.jpg)
New report reveals boom in private military security forces fighting Indian Ocean pirates. Research into the use of private military security companies in the Indian Ocean has found the fight against Somali-based pirates has become a private battle as global defence cuts reduce naval counter-piracy deployments. The report, 'Pirates and Privateers: Managing the Indian Ocean's Private Security Boom'…
Pirate Threat Increases on W. African Coast
The ICC International Maritime Bureau's Piracy Reporting Centre recommends extreme vigilance aboard ships in West African waters. Since mid-August three vessels…