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Steaming under the constellation of Piracy |
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Saturday, 29 November 2008 |
 Piracy has occurred through the ages together with the presence of the first Ships. People along the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea have been trying to gain control of the trade routes and attacking the competition that was en route by sea. Thus it was common practice for the people engaged in commerce to be also engaged in piracy. This is a Hellenic word (verb peirao) which etymologically means someone’s attempt for robbery at sea. This is an uncivilized and illegal behavior, which prevents communication and free trade. It appeared where economic development
and the law of a ruled state have been replaced by poverty and anarchy. There has been a continuous presence of pirates and corsairs in the various period
of history, like the Phoenicians, Legerious and Normandians. In the
16th century A.C. with the discovery of the new world, piracy was also
adopted by the Britons and Spaniards. During the 16th – 18th centuries
A.C. the piratical raids became a regular practice for the barbarians
in the states of North Africa, Morocco, Algeria, Tunis and Tripoli.
Pirates appeared also in the Persian Gulf, Polynesia and China. The
coast of Oman was a great base for them, thus referred to as the "coast
of pirates" which in 1853 was effectively terminated under the British
ruling.
The nations that have gained control of piracy in history and have
ensured the security of the sea lanes, became great powers with strong
economies and civilizations like the Minoan, Athenian, Roman and
Byzantine.
The last three decades and in the sunrise of the 21st century despite
the automations and satellites, the phenomenon of piracy appeared once
again. Initially it showed up in areas like West Africa, East Africa,
South East Asia and the Indian ocean. This got the form of robbery of
small boats and yachts near the coasts. Later on, it grew with the
seizing of coasters and the hijacking of bigger vessels.
On the 15th September of 2008 the STOLT VALOR was seized, which was
finally released by a ransom payment of 1.1 USA million. Fifteen days
ago Somalian pirates hijacked the chemical and oil carrier CHENSTAR
VENUS a 19,455-dwt, built 1999 and on November 18th another dry cargo
vessel of 43218-dwt, near ADEN on the way to the Iranian port of Bandar
Abbas.
This year, over 100 pirate attacks have reported in the area, and the
majority of them were conducted by Somalians. 39 ships have been seized
and 14 are still held according to the International Maritime Bureau.
The surprise was on 17th November with the seized of the VLCC SIRIUS
STAR a 319,430-dwt, 2008-built about 450 miles of Mombasa in the Kenya
coast. This means that the pirates now are more organized with high
tech-automatic rifles and machine guns and plans made on computers.
Shipowners are very upset. The combined maritime task force seems
impractical and despite the crisis, shipowners are prepared to extend
steaming up to 15 days through the Cape of Good Hope, instead of
passing through Aden-Suez for their voyage from the Persian Gulf to
Europe.
Marine insurers are asking for higher premiums and crews for extra
bonuses. The seaborne trade, apart from the storm of the global credit
crisis, is now facing a second strike, this time from piracy.
This is not a local problem, but a global one, because the innocent
consumer must bear the extra cost in terms of time and expenses.
Now a simple question is raised: why the world community spends so
much money and efforts against piracy and not spend a smaller amount to
support countries like Somalia where piracy developed? States like
Somalia, Kenya, Malaysia, Oman require jobs, water, electricity, roads
and education. About 40% of the population in Somalia depend on the
food aid delivered by sea. Feel confindent that if Somalians had a job
and a real State, they would not arm themselves to engage in hijackings
in the open seas. On the contrary, they would develop the mechanism to
terminate this phenomenon which exposes them and their country. Now it
is the great opportunity for the United Nations and the world’s leading
states to help these countries, unless the precense of pirates serves
other purposes, providing a good excuse for others, to keep their
forces, in these sensitive regions filled with energy and raw materials.
Idomeneas A. Sarris, Msc
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