Somali Piracy and It's Impact on International Shipping and Trade

摘要

This article attempts to demonstrate the political, economic and national security impact of Maritime piracy in Somali waters. The Somali pirates are no different to those in West Africa and in Malacca Strait and Singapore. Somali pirates neither believe in killing any hostage crew member nor in robbing the cargo etc. but are interested only in the ransom amount. Until 2006 the most of the victims of Somali piracy were the foreign fishing vessels and Merchant ships calling at East African ports. Somali gang leaders of the pirates had, over the years, been continuously and progressively equipping their boats with latest gadgets/arms & ammunitions, training their men and enlarging their information network and attacking bigger and various types of ships passing through Somali waters, including those transiting Suez canal. Almost all the hijacked ship owners have had to pay a ransom amount to get their ships and/or crew released, often after weeks/months of negotiations through the mediators. Ransom amount usually includes expenses involved in negotiations, damages to ship when held captive, victual ling & other costs of maintaining the hostages. The ransom money is usually delivered by private plane or helicopter. Somali piracy operations have adversely affected the trade and industry, economy and coastal security for many countries in the region, including Gulf countries, East African states, Indian Ocean Islands and even Egypt. It has also influenced the social norms and values in Somali society.