
Due to the alarming increase in piracy in several high risk areas internationally, the US is focusing time and resources to address the problem. Defense Secretary Robert Gates recognized that “there is no purely military solution,” and Vice Admiral William Gortney said that shipping companies need armed guards.
There are over 22,000 transits through the Gulf of Aden each year. Pirates have proven adept at avoiding coalition forces. Their sophistication permits them to hide behind a veneer as fishermen, of which there are many, and to monitor the locations of military vessels and avoid them.
After taking control of the vessel, pirates will guide the ships to Somali waters where coalition forces will not follow. The ransom period usually takes several months of negotiation. Beyond the ransom of several million dollars, a company loses much more: the current delivery of goods if it is a shipping vessel, the cost of lost use during the lengthy negotiations, and perhaps most importantly, its reputation and therefore future business.
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