Tag: OBP

Analyzing the financial impact of piracy throughout 2017, the annual OBP report estimated the cost of piracy in East Africa at $1.4 billion, in West Africa $818.1 billion, while the total worth of goods stolen in Asia at $6.3 billion and in Latin America and the Caribbean at $949,000 dollars.

In its 2017 State of Maritime Piracy report, Oceans Beyond Piracy says a total of 1102 seafarers were affected by piracy and armed robbery in East Africa and 100 crew members were taken hostage in West Africa, while a total of 1908 seafarers were affected in Asia and 854 in Latin America and the Caribbean.

According to the annual State of Piracy report released by Oceans Beyond Piracy, the number of piracy incidents doubled off the coast of East Africa in 2017 compared to 2016. Piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea continue at persistently high levels. In 2017, 1726 seafarers were affected in a total of 97 incidents.

The hijacking of a small Iranian fishing vessel off Somalia, was the latest incident in a series of hijackings in the so-called High Risk Area (HRA) off Somalia. Although the region had seen piracy incidents decreasing, in recent times they have been revived.

In its latest issue paper, Oceans Beyond Piracy, touch upon the issue of  privately contracted armed maritime security, saying that the use of armed guards as a security solution at sea is characterized by private security companies providing armed protection for assets. 

In the latest paper by Oceans Beyond Piracy, OBP addresses the issue of Vessel Protection Detachments, as some flag states began authorizing and deploying uniformed military personnel to embark on commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.

In the Gulf Guinea, the nations are using Privately Contracted Armed Security, a model of embarked maritime security, which involves the contracting of uniformed police or military personnel from coastal or port states onto a vessel in the anchorage, port, or territorial waters of that state.

Oceans Beyond Piracy is releasing a series of issue papers to further classify and define each identified model of contracted maritime security. In its latest issue paper it explores the model of State Affiliated Escorts.

In a recent white paper, OBP explores the model of Vessel Protection Detachments, uniformed military personnel embarked on a vessel with explicit approval of the Flag State. Unlike private security actors, VPD operators are trained to follow strict and defined rules of engagement through traditional military chain of command.

The UKTMO has reportedly announced that the fishing dhow Asayr 2 has been released by the Somali pirates that had taken it for use as a mother ship off Puntland.