Official pirate warning

[nikimcbee]

http://www.icc-ccs.org/index.php?opt...d=70&Itemid=58

Gulf of Aden:
Somali pirates are attacking vessels in the northern Somali coast in the Gulf of Aden. These pirates are firing automatic weapons and Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG) in an attempt to board and hijack vessels. Once the attack is successful and the vessel hijacked, the pirates sail the vessel to the Somali coast and thereafter demand a ransom for the safe release of the vessel and crew. All vessels transiting the area are advised to take additional precautionary measures and maintain strict 24 hours visual and radar anti piracy watch using all available means. Watch keeping crews should look out for small suspicious boats converging to own vessel. Early sightings/detection and accurate assessment will allow Master to increase speed and take evasive manoeuvres to escape from pirates and at the same time request for assistance from various Authorities/Agencies including the IMB PRC.
Since 1 February 2009, MSCHOA (www.mschoa.org) has established the Internationally Recognised Transit Corridor (IRTC). Military assets (Naval and Air) will be strategically deployed within the area to best provide protection and support to merchant ships.
Masters using the IRTC are not relieved of their obligation and should continue to maintain a strict 24 hour lookout using all available means to get an early warning of an approaching threat. Some vessels have been attacked/hijacked in the corridor.
Ships/Owners are advised to register their details on the MSCHOA website www.mschoa.org and obtain further information regarding the close support protection details for ships transiting the Gulf of Aden. Ships are encouraged to conduct their passage through the Internationally Recognised Transit Corridor (IRTC) in groups based on their transit speed.
Group Transits
From 0001Z Sun 01 Feb a new Group Transit programme will be brought into force.
This will have Group Transits for vessels proceeding at the following speeds: 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 kts.
Master are also advise to maintain a listening watch on VHF Channels 16 and 72 in order to hear the Maritime Advisory Calls from the warships in the area who will make general security broadcasts to announce their location and in turn will also listen for merchant ships calling them.
Somalia:
Recent attacks indicate that the pirates have resumed attacking vessels in the eastern and southern coast of Somalia. Some attacks have spread and taken place as far as off the Kenyan and Tanzanian coast. The Somali pirates are dangerous and are prepared to fire their automatic weapons and RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade) at ships in order to stop them. Pirates are believed to be using “mother vessels” to launch attacks further away from the coast. These “mother vessels” are able to proceed far out to sea and launch smaller boats to attack and hijack passing ships. Some of these attacks have taken place almost 500nm from the coast. The IMB in cooperation with the MSCHOA advices that vessels not making scheduled calls to ports in Somalia should keep as far away as possible from the Somali coast, preferably more than 600 nautical miles from the coast line and when routing north / south consider keeping east of 60E longitude until east of Seychelles.
Mariners are advised to report any suspicious boats to the Centre. A 24hour visual and radar watch must be maintained as early sightings / detection and accurate assessment will allow Masters to take evasive actions and increase speed and at the same time request for assistance and escape.

So it looks like they do have a "transit zone" and travel groups (convoys?)

It seems like finding the mother ship wouldn't be that hard find and sink them! me needs to proof read better

[SteamWake]

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

So it looks like they do have a "transit zone" and travel groups (convoys?)

It seems like finding the mother ship would be that hard and sink them!

Well up untill now no one wanted to kick the hornets nest.

[Etienne]

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

It seems like finding the mother ship would be that hard and sink them!

They're using fishing trawlers. Nothing looks more like a fishing trawler than another fishing trawler... And there's plenty of them around.

[nikimcbee]

(first, thanks to Jalu3 for sending me the original link) I think the Gulf of Aden would be a tough nut to crack since it is close to shore and the small, fast boats they are using. But the attacks to the southeast, in the Indian Ocean, you'd think with all of our modern tracking equipment, one could find the ship. Can radar pick up those small craft? Kinda makes you want to be a soldier of fortune and offer your services out to shipping companies.

[nikimcbee]

I'm also curious, with all the "naval firepower" in that area, how pro-active they are being searching these smaller "fishing boats."

[Jimbuna]

What's Rambo doing with himself these days?

[Etienne]

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

Can radar pick up those small craft?

Yes and no. It depends on the operator, and weather condition. I can pick up a rubber fishing buoy at about a mile, mile and a half if I try hard enough and the weather is nice, so a wooden fishing boat should show up at about 2 miles, at least.

You have to keep in mind that merchant vessels don't have the best radars, and they don't have dedicated radar operators (The OOW takes care of it). If the OOW's busy - say, filling out the waste disposal papework, or something equally vital - he might not fiddle with his radar settings enough, and not see the boats before it's too late.

Wooden boats, low on the water... Unless it's glassy and they make a good wake, you won't see them until they're pretty close.

It's also worth noting that a lot of merchant ships have radar blind spots somewhere around the stern.

[Rosencrantz]

Can radar pick up those small craft?

If the pirates are doing it right (what I think they mostly are), a small boat would be hard to detec. Especially if it's coming right behind you, in the ship's wake. That's exactly what I would do: Have a small but fast boat, and then attack behind in the wake. A rope, a hook, and couple strong and skilled guyes to go on board and lower the ropeladder (is it a ropeladder in english?).


-RC-

[Stealhead]

It is interesting that the Somali pirates have been getting all the media they have been around for a while and there have been pirates operating in Southeast Asia along the Malacca Straits for many years.

In either place it is a difficult thing to control the Somali pirates did not seem to be slown down much by military action.Of course just like the old days it is there livelyhood so i suppose it is piracy or death.
http://us-pacific-command.blogspot.c...fforts-in.html