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boats, armed with rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons. American, British and Australian tourists were on board. The captain managed to manoevre the ship out of harm's way. However, more significantly, this was not an isolated incident. There were 37 piracy incidents that year off the Somalia coast which managed to avoid media coverage.

On June 5, 2006, the US issued a travel warning concerning Somalia. The warning claimed that: "Merchant vessels, fishing boats and recreational craft all risk seizure by pirates and having their crews held for ransom." www.travelstate.gov

The fact that piracy warnings need to be issued suggests that shipping in African waters may need to carry "security defences" in these areas. Not all kinds of shipping are equipped to defend people and cargo.

Finally, as recently as June 5, 2007 a Danish freighter, "Danica White", carrying building materials, was hijacked off Somalia. This particular group of pirates is recorded as currently having 4 foreign ships in their possession, including a Taiwanese vessel.

Only a few piracy incidents have been detailed in the international press. Details of Nigerian acts of piracy, on the west coast of Africa, are even more difficult to find. But they exist in large numbers. "Between 1982 and 1986, West Africa - particularly Nigeria - had the highest reported number of cases of piracy and armed robbery. About 25 cases were reported annually, mainly against ships at anchor awaiting berth. Typically, a gang of up 10 people would board the ship at night, threatened the crew with knives, overpowered them and then go on to break into cargo containers and stole their contents." www.oceansatlas.org It is almost as if 21st century sea piracy could be an international security issue, not readily available to the public.

The major container terminal in Africa is Durban, in South Africa. Critical congestion problems here seem to open Africa to "piracy waiting to happen". In 2003, it was reported that loading delays were from 85 to 120 hours at the beginning of October. By November, the delay was reduced to 10 hours per ship. No improvement on this time factor has been reported since. If indeed, piracy becomes a threat to this major African cargo terminal, all export and imports to Africa would be severely crippled.

Africa tends to depend on British, US and Dutch naval strengths to be "sea sheriffs" of African piracy. Nigeria is a country broken by military dissent and Somalia has not had a stable central government since 1991. Little wonder that sea piracy is able to continue unabated off their shores. Reliable reporting of piracy cannot originate from these countries in political chaos.

Until more reliable evidence of piracy is made public; until a co-ordinated control of sea piracy is activated, the problem will grow. In simple terms, international ships will avoid African coastal waters. Trading goods to Africa could be curtailed while piracy threatens.

And, on further reflection, there seems to be so many unanswered questions. Is there a link between sea piracy and terrorism? Who exactly are the pirates? Are they random groups or are they answering to a "leader"? The story of African sea piracy and its effects on shipping in the 21st century is still unraveling.

Sources
www.cbsnews. com
www.news.bbc.co.uk
www.csmon itor.com
www.essa.org.za

Learn more about this author, Gemma Wiseman.
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