On the occasion of the annual International Transport Forum held in Leipzig, Germany from May 25-27, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) renewed its call for immediate action on piracy, urging governments to take action against the increasing number of pirate attacks occurring off the Somali coast.
ICC said the past year has witnessed an escalation in both violence and the number of attacks on ships and their crew. According to the ICC International Maritime Bureau, there were 219 attacks in 2010 off Somalia, in which 49 vessels were hijacked and 1,016 crew members taken hostage.
Pirates continue to strike despite measures taken by the United Nations Security Council and the presence of naval units in the area of the Gulf of Aden, and more and more ship owners have had to resort to using private security firms to protect their seafarers and ships.
In 2010, the One Earth Foundation estimated the economic cost of piracy on the supply chain to be between US$7-12 billion.
"This is of great concern to any industry having to navigate through the Gulf of Aden to deliver goods by water," ICC said.
Prepared by the ICC Commission on Transport and Logistics, the call for action said: "As the World Business Organization, ICC urges governments to recognize that piracy, in addition to its effect on the safety of seafarers, has an important financial impact on global trade and shipping, and furthermore poses increased threat on the stability and security of energy supply lines not only for major industrial nations."
ICC called on governments to improve the rules of engagement given to the navies present in the area, and refocus the efforts of the UN and other international bodies to ensure that pirates are brought to justice and that required institutions in central Somalia are established to maintain economic and social standards.
Together with ship owners and trade associations around the world, over 20 CEOs from key shipping and trading companies have endorsed the ICC Call for Action on Piracy.
Showing posts with label coast of somalia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coast of somalia. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
Surge in attacks off the coast of Somalia drive open sea piracy to record high
The first three months of 2011 saw piracy at sea hit an all-time high with 142 attacks worldwide, according to the International Maritime Bureau's (IMB) global piracy report.
In the first quarter of 2011, 18 vessels were hijacked, 344 crew members were taken hostage, and six were kidnapped, IMB reported. A further 45 vessels were boarded, and 45 more reported being fired upon.
The sharp rise was driven by a surge in piracy off the coast of Somalia, where 97 attacks were recorded in the first quarter of 2011, up from 35 in the same period last year.
"Figures for piracy and armed robbery at sea in the past three months are higher than we've ever recorded in the first quarter of any past year," said Pottengal Mukundan, Director of IMB, whose Piracy Reporting Centre has monitored piracy worldwide since 1991.
In the first three months of 2011, pirates murdered seven crew members and injured 34. Just two injuries were reported in the first quarter of 2006.
Of the 18 ships hijacked worldwide in the first three months of the year, 15 were captured off the east coast of Somalia, in and around the Arabian Sea and one in the Gulf of Aden. In this area alone, 299 people were taken as hostage and a further six were kidnapped from their vessel. At their last count, at the end of March, IMB figures showed that Somali pirates were holding captive 596 crew members on 28 ships.
The IMB reports that large tankers carrying oil and other flammable chemicals are particularly vulnerable to firearm attack. Captain Mukundan said: "Three big tankers of over 100,000 tonnes deadweight have been hijacked off the Horn of Africa this year. Of a total of 97 vessels attacked in the region, 37 were tankers and of these, 20 had a deadweight of more than 100,000 tonnes."
A number of countries are employing their navies to take a tough stance against piracy. In a recent show of force, commended by the IMB, the Indian navy captured 61 Somali pirates on a hijacked ship off India's west coast.
Elsewhere, in the first quarter of 2011 nine incidents were reported off Malaysia and five incidents have been recorded for Nigeria.
In the first quarter of 2011, 18 vessels were hijacked, 344 crew members were taken hostage, and six were kidnapped, IMB reported. A further 45 vessels were boarded, and 45 more reported being fired upon.
The sharp rise was driven by a surge in piracy off the coast of Somalia, where 97 attacks were recorded in the first quarter of 2011, up from 35 in the same period last year.
"Figures for piracy and armed robbery at sea in the past three months are higher than we've ever recorded in the first quarter of any past year," said Pottengal Mukundan, Director of IMB, whose Piracy Reporting Centre has monitored piracy worldwide since 1991.
In the first three months of 2011, pirates murdered seven crew members and injured 34. Just two injuries were reported in the first quarter of 2006.
Of the 18 ships hijacked worldwide in the first three months of the year, 15 were captured off the east coast of Somalia, in and around the Arabian Sea and one in the Gulf of Aden. In this area alone, 299 people were taken as hostage and a further six were kidnapped from their vessel. At their last count, at the end of March, IMB figures showed that Somali pirates were holding captive 596 crew members on 28 ships.
The IMB reports that large tankers carrying oil and other flammable chemicals are particularly vulnerable to firearm attack. Captain Mukundan said: "Three big tankers of over 100,000 tonnes deadweight have been hijacked off the Horn of Africa this year. Of a total of 97 vessels attacked in the region, 37 were tankers and of these, 20 had a deadweight of more than 100,000 tonnes."
A number of countries are employing their navies to take a tough stance against piracy. In a recent show of force, commended by the IMB, the Indian navy captured 61 Somali pirates on a hijacked ship off India's west coast.
Elsewhere, in the first quarter of 2011 nine incidents were reported off Malaysia and five incidents have been recorded for Nigeria.
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