Piracy in Somali waters reduced due to global efforts

Sunday, 06 January 2013

According to Daily Times Nigeria, International efforts to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia helped in reducing piracy in 2012, including cooperation amongst the navies operating in the region, a senior officer of the European Union naval force said.

Timo Lange, the Media Operations Officer of the EU Naval Taskforce (EUNAVFOR) attributed the drop in piracy to coordinated intelligence interventions by international navies which are deterring pirates, along with ships' employment of Best Management Practice (BMP), including the use of armed guards and other onboard security measures.
Lange said the reasons for the reduction are several; the counterpart forces in the area and the coordination have helped to achieve the success.

''The decline in piracy falls to a number of reasons; operations of counter-piracy forces based on coordinated intelligence, the enhanced implementation of BMP including the use of private armed security as well as dynamics in Somalia have distributed to the reduced success of pirates,'' Lange said.

Demanding millions of dollars in ransom for captured ships and their crews, Somali pirates had early 2011 intensified operations not just off their own coastline, but further afield in the Red Sea - particularly during the monsoon season in the wider Indian Ocean.

Source: Daily Times Nigeria