Vertical Markets

Changing face of piracy

by Mark Rowe

The division between land and maritime based security is blurring, writes Stuart Barnett, Head of Intelligence at Solace Global.

On September 21, 2013, terrorists attacked the Westgate Shopping Mall in Nairobi, Kenya. 72 people were killed. Within hours, the event was publicised throughout the world and various western countries reacted by advising against travel whilst monitoring events as they unfolded. In a trait becoming increasingly common, Al Shabab, the Islamist terror grouping who claimed responsibility, took to Twitter. Their ability to provide real time propaganda, make further threats and portray their cause was simple yet effective.
Speaking as a security company founded in the maritime environment, you may think this attack is not relevant to us. In reality however, events of this nature have a significant and profound impact on the maritime environment. To many it came as a surprise, but the threat from Al Shabab is nothing new. The group has been conducting an insurgency campaign in southern Somalia for many years, with large regions of the country under their control. These are often the same areas from which pirates have been known to operate. As most commentators will acknowledge, Somali piracy was forged in the very origins of this lawless state.

Contrary to the belief of some, new and evolving threats pay little regard for the theoretical boundary between land and sea. Yet in recent years, there has been a notable divide between maritime and land security provision. As recent examples illustrate, to address security issues in isolation is not always the best way to address the problem.

Piracy has been around for years, though its nature has changed and piracy hot spots migrated. Contrary to casual insight, there are several key factors that differentiate piracy globally. These differences are obvious in the operational areas of the Gulf of Guinea and the Indian Ocean. In Somalia, the business model focuses on the hijack and ransom of ships and crew. This usually takes place over an extended period of time; some captive crew have been held for in excess of 2 years. The crew of the MV Leopard, pirated in January 2011 in the Indian Ocean, were eventually released in April 2013. In contrast, Nigerian pirates target the vessels and cargoes themselves. Only recently, in July 2013, the International Maritime Bureau Piracy Reporting Centre reported a surge in kidnappings at sea with a wide range of ship types being targeted. It also noted specifically: ‘If piracy attacks are left unchecked, they will continue to become more frequent, bolder and more violent.’

But to look at piracy trends in isolation can be misleading. As well as an understanding of the piracy threat itself, politicians, military forces and private security providers alike must fully understand both the land and maritime environments in which they are operating. Obvious perhaps, but a lesson constantly relearnt in conflicts worldwide, even today. The British military would refer to this concept as human terrain analysis, an offshoot of the recent conflict in Afghanistan. It is simply not enough to identify a threat and neutralise or defend against it. This may be a short term fix but will not address the issue in the longer term.

To really achieve this it is imperative to understand the people, religion, tribal dynamics, key leaders, security force capability, political and civil structures associated to it. Only through complete comprehension of the surrounding issues and environmental factors will you be able to address the problem in a truly holistic manner. In March 2013, Chris Trelawny from the International Maritime Organisation indirectly hinted at this very principle: ‘Although piracy and armed robbery against ships are important issues, they are largely the symptoms of organised crime, institutional corruption and lack of effective law enforcement ashore. It would be a mistake to focus on countering piracy and armed robbery in isolation.’

Nigeria is engaged in a bitter insurgency in the north of the country where yet another Islamist terror grouping, Boko Haram conduct regular attacks against civilians and Nigerian security forces. In the south, a high criminal kidnap threat in the Port City of Lagos, rife corruption and further threats from the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) to break their 2009 ceasefire further confuse the situation. These land based events are again relevant to shipping. Nigerian security forces and political focus have been distracted and limited resources further strained.

Other examples are numerous. On-going conflict in Syria and resulting diplomatic tensions has seen the deployment of a significant number of US and Russian naval assets into the Mediterranean. Protests and strikes in Libyan ports recently saw the interim Libyan Government threaten to bomb shipping entering its ports without appropriate clearance. In Egypt, land based militants attacked the Container Ship the Cosco Asia as it transited the Suez Canal on August 31. Curfews, civil unrest and Egyptian security checkpoints are all factors affecting ships and their crews transiting through the canal and ports within.

Maritime security challenges are not just restricted to Africa and the Middle East. On September 19, 30 activists manning the Greenpeace vessel Arctic Sunrise were detained by Russian authorities. The activists, protesting against oil exploration in the Arctic, have since been charged with piracy, a charge carrying a maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment. Is this piracy? Greenpeace would dispute this claim. Oil rig workers originally reported the Greenpeace safety pod as resembling a floating bomb as it was released into the waters surrounding the rig, raising claims of terrorism. Again, Greenpeace would argue they clearly aren’t terrorists. On occasion even the international community struggle to define piracy clearly. In today’s world, the line between environmental activism, piracy and terrorism has been blurred.

Global security threats are evolving. As history shows, pirates, terrorists and criminals alike will seek to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in order to achieve their aim. Their methods are varied and often unpredictable, but it is clear that complicated land based environments directly impact maritime operations. Piracy, one of these many and varied threats, remains a significant issue. But the mental boundary between land and water is gradually disappearing and there is now a growing realisation and trust that some private security providers can offer significantly greater services across sectors. Private maritime security providers are adapting in a change that is led by client requirements. The threats have no boundaries and so it is imperative that we as private security providers, along with the shipping community we serve, keep pace.

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