by Veronica Shine

Created on: April 12, 2009

Great writers of past have written of revolutions, the down trodden and adventure on the high seas. Many wrote these tales with first-person narratives, romanticizing the players and secretly encouraging for the forthcoming transformation for the betterment of man. Would these writers feel the same today of the events happening with the Pirates of the Indian Ocean?

The nightly news continues to feature hijacked ships being held for ransom off a coast of a poverty stricken country by 21st Century pirates. The situation of piracy in Somalia has developed into a risky but profitable money-maker in a nation composed of nomads, semi-nomads and a weak government waiting to burst.

Since 1984, when the records keeping began on piracy, there have been four hundred and forty incidents of piracy off its coast and of these hijacks, one hundred and twelve of these occurred during 2008. The Pirates seized more than forty two ships and six hundred seamen last year raising well over one hundred and twenty million dollars in ransom money, necessitating four UN Security Council meetings in this matter with no concrete solution at hand.

It is believed that fourteen ships and three hundred seamen remain in their hands as hostages. An occurrence took place involving the Maersk Alabama in April 2009. The crew of this American vessel was able to regain control of their U.S.-flagged ship from Somali pirates; minus their Captain, Richard Phillips.

Piracy began to flourish in the early nineties and was initially engaged in forcing out fishing boats in the Somalia waters. These practices eventually lead to include militias and businessmen. The Islamic Courts, at that time, began to gather a hold on the situation and there was a noticiable drop in the hijackings. However, after 2006 the hijackings resumed in full force after Ethiopia invaded Somalia.

In November 2008, the pirates intercepted the Saudi Arabian supertanker, Sirus Star, carrying two million barrels of oil with a value of one hundred million dollars. The capture of this ship was their biggest prize to date. The brazen pirates were also out of their normal territory and within five hundred miles from Kenya. According to the International Maritime Bureau, between the ship's distance from shore and its location when hijacked only indicated that this was a more sophisticated operation than realized.

Since the Somalia pirates continue to net money from these hijacking; it appears there will be no let up of such; their attacks have triggered a rise in maritime insurance rates by 15%.

Special risk insurance for any ship sailing within the Gulf of Arden region saw an increase from five hundred dollars to twenty thousand dollars. This immense cost increase on risk insurance affects every consumer around the world. Imported tems that are purchased, will be forced to an inflated price at the register due to this massive increase relating to pirate hijacking.

There is no guarantee that by avoiding the Gulf of Arden will alleviate pirate problems to any ship, as indicated by the hijacking of the Sirus Star. The pirates have been working without restrictions due to their fragile government.

One sign of encouragement from Somali's government was giving official permission to the international marine security community, that they can enter Somali territorial waters freely and as needed.

Could this objective be the end for the 21st Century Pirates of the Indian Ocean? An effort for all of the international communities to proceed as a team by working together will resolve and end this drama. For those who are still held captive; may your release be imminent.

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