The Panther Bay
Pirate Blog

I ran across this report on the UK's efforts to control piracy off the Somali Cost. The captain discussed how fufilling the mission was because they disrupted potential pirate activities. From Panorama News:

"Once the suspected pirates spotted the helicopter and boarding team, four of the suspected pirates took one of the smaller boats and tried to flee to shore. The remaining men stopped in the water and when the Lynx helicopter hovered overhead they tried to get rid of their ladders overboard.

"After the Royal Navy boarding team confiscated all the pirate gear, thus ensuring that the gang could no longer pose a threat to merchantmen, they were transferred to the remaining skiff.

"Speaking about the incident, the Commanding Officer of HMS Montrose, Commander Jonathan Lett, said:

"The disruption of a pirate gang in the Somali Basin by a NATO warship was very rewarding. Our actions prevented suspected pirates from heading out to sea to prey on innocent merchantmen. HMS Montrose continues to help keep the seas safe."

But, I have to wonder, is this all we can hope for? A few ladders and rocket propelled grenades are small items to replace when the pirate gangs are getting millions in ransom for their cargo.

Piracy shouldn't just be managed through disruption of activities. It needs to be eradicated as a serious threat to human life and economy.

I think this incident really shows the inherent limits of using the modern military to rein in piracy. Private shipping companies need to step up to the plate and national governments need to let them.