The continued problem of piracy off Somalia is fuelling a rapid increase in the use of private security guards and escort vessels.
The waters abutting Somalia remain the most dangerous in the world, with 139 reported pirate attacks last year, and 125 in the first half of 2011. Somali pirates strike in areas as distant from their homeland as The Seychelles, The Maldives and the Indian coastline. These criminals, who prey on shipping from fast small craft, now routinely use hijacked merchant ships as mother vessels for their long-range operations.
There has been a major international naval response to this appalling situation. More than 20 warships, backed up by helicopters and maritime patrol planes, are patrolling daily in a sea area encompassing the Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Red Sea and Indian Ocean. US-, NATO-, and EU-led multinational fleet operations are co-ordinated with those of independent naval task groups from China, Russia, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Some pirate attacks have been thwarted by naval action, resulting in the capture or death of some of the perpetrators. However, political and jurisdictional issues continue to restrict both naval and legal action against Somali pirates.
The struggle against Somali buccaneers has therefore given a huge boost to the maritime operations of private military and security companies (PMSC). Scores of these companies now offer ship protection services, usually in the form of armed on-board guards. However, private escort vessels, typically fitted with armour and up to three machine guns, are increasingly in demand.
Former Royal Swedish Navy assault boats, highly durable and available in large numbers from surplus stocks, are a popular choice for this role. Increasing numbers of larger, higher-endurance vessels are also operational, usually equipped with one or more ribs. These provide enhanced deterrence, and are suitable for escorting more vulnerable vessels, such as cruise ships, and tugs and tows.
Private escort vessels, often operating from Djibouti, embark machine guns and small arms from secure storage at the beginning of each trip, and return the weapons at the end of each mission. Charges are reportedly around US$25,000-50,000 per escorted ship, per mission.
Naval Guards scored a major success in the Gulf of Aden this year, when one of the company's escort vessels, the Mongolian-flagged former minesweeper 'Marshal 5' rescued the yacht 'Capricorn' from pirates in the Gulf of Aden, following a gun battle.
The legal situation regarding the both armed guards onboard ships and private escort vessels remains somewhat opaque, governed as it is by sometimes conflicting flag state and local maritime laws. However, in May, the International Maritime Organisation seemed to be moving towards rationalisation, when it endorsed the principle of flag states being responsible for regulating the conduct of armed on-board security guards.
Chinese shipping company COSCO also recently nudged the hiring of armed defence against pirates further towards respectability, when it announced that it was employing British ex-military PMSC personnel as onboard guards for all its vessels transiting waters where Somali pirates are active.
Fears are being expressed that the use of armed guards and private escort vessels is escalating the situation, as there have been reports of pirates opening heavy fire at long range to ascertain whether or not armed guards are on board. Furthermore a recent "swarm" attack on a ship by at least six armed pirate craft may have been intended to overwhelm its armed guards. Both the cost of long-term escort vessel maintenance and crew endurance may prove to be challenging for PMSCs.
Nonetheless, there is little doubt that the demand for their private escort vessels is set to increase as the piracy threat worsens.
Trevor Hollingsbee