Shiver Me Timbers! Pirates Seize Thai Ship

[Goshawk]

a band of Somali pirates have hijacked a Thai cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden

one report is here

skulduggery indeed me hearty.. didn't realise the old skull n crossbones were still so much alive on the high seas..

[cobra]

... didn't realize the old skull n crossbones were still so much alive on the high seas..

Most certainly,

Off Malaysia and of course, Pirates of the Caribbean for sure,

Albeit most prey on moored pleasure craft

[Groongthep]

Piracy on the high seas has become a very serious problem these days. The worst areas being in and around the Malacca Straight and off the coast of East Africa particularly near Somalia. I have been working in the maritime field for the last 28 years, most of it at sea and can tell you that all oceangoing cargo vessels have their crewmembers stand anti-pirate watches at night in the waters most plagued with piracy. Unfortunately, there is little they can do as modern day pirates are armed with automatic weapons, grenades and RPGs. Attached is a report from the IMO (International Maritime Organization) in London documenting 4,499 (not an exaggeration) acts of piracy at sea in November of 2007 alone. Piracy at Sea

[Carib]

Piracy on the high seas has become a very serious problem these days. The worst areas being in and around the Malacca Straight and off the coast of East Africa particularly near Somalia. I have been working in the maritime field for the last 28 years, most of it at sea and can tell you that all oceangoing cargo vessels have their crewmembers stand anti-pirate watches at night in the waters most plagued with piracy. Unfortunately, there is little they can do as modern day pirates are armed with automatic weapons, grenades and RPGs. Attached is a report from the IMO (International Maritime Organization) in London documenting 4,499 (not an exaggeration) acts of piracy at sea in November of 2007 alone. Piracy at Sea

True, advice is given when passing these parts to lock up the ship, some agents have armed guards on board, and in the case of the Somalian coast, ships laden with aid supplies are escorted by naval ships from various countries.

Usually it is done for either a part of the cargo, or a ransom for the crew, which can go in to the height of millions of dollars.

[Goshawk]

it seems the Somali coast in particular is rife with piracy..

from this BBC report of a few of days ago, about a kidnapped German couple who were sailing off the coast of Somalia and heading for Thailand...

In June, the UN Security Council voted to allow countries to send warships into Somalia's waters to tackle the pirates.

[Groongthep]

Attached is a report from the IMO (International Maritime Organization) in London documenting 4,499 (not an exaggeration) acts of piracy at sea in November of 2007 alone. Piracy at Sea

Sorry, I got a little ahead of myself as this is such a hot button item for me. The IMO reported 4,499 acts of piracy in the last 5 years not just in November of 2007. (I read the report closer) That's still a hel_l of a lot of pirate attacks.

[Wandering]

Maffia in the Malacca straights have always controlled the ocean piracy and therefore the governments of those areas. The governments (especially Singapore and Indonesia) will always say that they are fighting the piracy there, but when lots of their personal income comes to them in the form of a bribe, they will not be caught. How else could they campaign for re-election.

[cloudhopper]

Maffia in the Malacca straights have always controlled the ocean piracy and therefore the governments of those areas. The governments (especially Singapore and Indonesia) will always say that they are fighting the piracy there, but when lots of their personal income comes to them in the form of a bribe, they will not be caught. How else could they campaign for re-election.

This is utter crap, except for the involvement of corrupt local authorities in Indonesia.

[Wandering]

In what way is this "utter crap"?

In Indonesia you may not carry personal protection (weapons) to protect you from the pirates.

In Indonesia there is a thin difference between the pirates and the local militias/military.

In Singapore the loot is processed (sometimes sent to HongKong/China)

Singapore has no natural resources, but it is a land of skilled traders. What are they trading...... stolen booty.

The pirates use speedboats and hide on islands, but any government truly wishing to deal with the problem could handle it quickly and efficiently. Every time the countries Navy arrives to handle the problem, the pre-informed pirates have mysteriously relocated.

[cloudhopper]

In what way is this "utter crap"?

In this way:

In Singapore the loot is processed (sometimes sent to HongKong/China)

Singapore has no natural resources, but it is a land of skilled traders. What are they trading...... stolen booty.

I'm no big fan of Sing but every time I've sailed through there I've been impressed by the honesty of the officials, not to mention how busy the shipping is in the area. They have more than enough legitimate trade than to be involved in piracy. The intel used by pirates comes from corporate espionage and not from any government sources. As you and I both agree Indonesia is a very different story.

[Wandering]

You know cloudhopper, I was kind of expecting an an angry retort.

Your reply was very reasonable. In fact, it never occurred to me about the corporate espionage as opposed to govt corruption. I think you may be right.

[Groongthep]

Cloudhopper is absolutely correct. You might find government involvement in piracy in Indonesia but not Singapore. My experience has been that Singapore is one of the cleanest and most corruption free places anywhere.

[Rimmer]

In what way is this "utter crap"?

In Indonesia you may not carry personal protection (weapons) to protect you from the pirates.

In Indonesia there is a thin difference between the pirates and the local militias/military.

In Singapore the loot is processed (sometimes sent to HongKong/China)

Singapore has no natural resources, but it is a land of skilled traders. What are they trading...... stolen booty.

The pirates use speedboats and hide on islands, but any government truly wishing to deal with the problem could handle it quickly and efficiently. Every time the countries Navy arrives to handle the problem, the pre-informed pirates have mysteriously relocated.

I lived in Singapore for 22 years and there is no way on this earth that 'loot is processed and sent to HongKong/China) The authorities there would jail any PSA official who even took a pack of cigarettes illegally. The island is far too sophisticated

for them to bother playing pirates.

Please get your facts straight before you bad mouth with nothing to back it up.

[Spee]

a band of Somali pirates have hijacked a Thai cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden

one report is here

Easy way to fix that problem:

A little over the top perhaps, but the Somali pirate problem has been going on for centuries as has similar piracy in the Singapore straights.

The solution is more patrols by military vessels, and simply take these people out. Also, the commercial vessels should have the right to be armed and defend themselves. Right now, pirates operate in these areas will little fear of retribution.

[Travel2003]

a band of Somali pirates have hijacked a Thai cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden

one report is here

Easy way to fix that problem:

A little over the top perhaps, but the Somali pirate problem has been going on for centuries as has similar piracy in the Singapore straights.

The solution is more patrols by military vessels, and simply take these people out. Also, the commercial vessels should have the right to be armed and defend themselves. Right now, pirates operate in these areas will little fear of retribution.

True.

Only one problem, and that is who will pay the bill.

[Travel2003]

In what way is this "utter crap"?

In this way:

In Singapore the loot is processed (sometimes sent to HongKong/China)

Singapore has no natural resources, but it is a land of skilled traders. What are they trading...... stolen booty.

I'm no big fan of Sing but every time I've sailed through there I've been impressed by the honesty of the officials, not to mention how busy the shipping is in the area. They have more than enough legitimate trade than to be involved in piracy. The intel used by pirates comes from corporate espionage and not from any government sources. As you and I both agree Indonesia is a very different story.

100% agree.

In all aspects.

The vast majority of Piracy, or covardly armed robbery as I rather want to call it, in Malacca strait is done by contracts.

Along the Somalia coast they operate as the opportunities appear.

The robberies in the Malacca Strait have normally local authorities behind it. Especially Harbour authorities and "super cargo" Officers in the various ports.

The robbers normally know what container they want (and are looking for). Sometimes they even have the serial number and location of the container. It might be 5000 new Nokia phones inside. Easy to offload and sell.

They sometimes know when the ship has received cash via the ship's agent, which also involves the harbour authorities in that particular port.

Normally, in the Malacca Strait, the robbers set sail (speed) towards the Indonesia side of the strait, and then disapears between the islands.

Extremely few (if any) ships sail around with armed guards. the reason is because the ships these days are sailing with a so called absolute minimum safety manning, in order to save money for the Companies.

Hired guards will always create a problem as they will need to have a visa for all the countries the ship will visit.

They need to be on the Crew manifest, which is sent to the various agents in the future ports (and countries).

Having weapons onboard is another hazzle. The weapons must be cleared through customs, harbour authorities, etc, in each and every port the ship calls. Even if the ship calls many ports in the same country. same long procedure each time.

The ships normally sail with all deck lights on, with loaded (pressurized) fire hoses stretched on various locations, and with some of the crew members as guards on the decks.

All ships receive constantly updates from the various Centres that handle the security in the particluar area.

In this region that is in KL, Malaysia.

When transiting between Africa and the Arabian penisula, all ships can cooperate and get in touch with a particular ship that is assigned to handle the security communicatons in that region.

This is done by sending regular e-mails with the ship's position to this contact.

There is always one "Duty officer" on call. He normally sits in a center in Dubai.

Finally, about Singapore.

I have called Singapore 100s of times in my career.

Without a doubt the most professional country, pilots, agents, authorities, etc in the entire region.

This stuff I know.

[Master Chief]

No news of this in the thai news papers! Why?

Another thai cargo ship avoided an hijack by changing course outside Somalia.

[Old Croc]

Sunken 'pirate ship' was actually Thai trawler, owner says :

One crewman found alive after 6 days adrift, one confirmed dead

BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) --

Fourteen sailors are still missing from a Thai trawler that was sunk last week by the Indian navy as a suspected pirate ship, the vessel's owner said Tuesday.

One crewman was found alive after six days adrift in the Gulf of Aden, and one is confirmed dead, said Wicharn Sirichaiekawat, owner of the Ekawat Nava 5.

Last week, India's navy reported that the frigate INS Tabar had battled a pirate "mother vessel" in the gulf November 18, leaving the ship ablaze and likely sunk. Wicharn said that vessel was his ship, which was in the process of being seized by pirates when it came under fire.

Indian authorities insisted that their ship had acted against a pirate vessel which had threatened to attack the Tabar.

"We fired in self-defense and in response to firing upon our vessel. It was a pirate vessel in the international waters and its stance was aggressive," Commodore Nirad Sinha, a navy spokesman, told CNN. He said the ship the Tabar fired upon was laden with ammunition. Watch more about the piracy threat in the region »

Wicharn told reporters that the Ekawat Nava 5 was headed from Oman to Yemen to deliver fishing equipment when it was set upon by pirates off the Horn of Africa. The pirates were seizing control of the ship when the Tabar moved in, he said.

Wicharn said he learned the fate of his vessel from a Cambodian crew member who survived the gunfire and drifted in the ocean for six days before he was plucked to safety by a passing ship. The sailor was recovering in a hospital in Yemen, he said.

Wicharn said his ship made a distress call on November 18 as it was chased by pirates in two speedboats, but the connection was lost midway. The owners, Sirichai Fisheries, had not heard from the crew since then.

Later that evening, the Indian navy said it encountered a suspected pirate "mother vessel," with two speedboats in tow, about 285 nautical miles (525 km) southwest of the Omani port of Salalah. "Mother vessels" are often used as mobile bases to ferry pirates and smaller attack boats into deep water.

When the Tabar's crew hailed the ship and demanded it stop for inspection, the pirates threatened to destroy the Indian ship, the ministry reported.

"Pirates were seen roaming on the upper deck of this vessel with guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. The vessel continued its threatening calls and subsequently fired upon INS Tabar," the ministry said. The Indian frigate returned fire, setting the pirate ship ablaze and setting off explosions on board, the statement said.

An international fleet has been patrolling the waters off the Horn of Africa in an effort to crack down on pirates based in largely lawless Somalia. Map of piracy incidents in 2008 »

Pirates have attacked more than 90 vessels off East Africa so far this year, according to the International Maritime Bureau's Piracy Reporting Center, which monitors piracy around the world, including a Saudi supertanker captured earlier this month.

Edited November 25, 2008 by Old Croc

[JimsKnight]

In what way is this "utter crap"?

In this way:

In Singapore the loot is processed (sometimes sent to HongKong/China)

Singapore has no natural resources, but it is a land of skilled traders. What are they trading...... stolen booty.

I'm no big fan of Sing but every time I've sailed through there I've been impressed by the honesty of the officials, not to mention how busy the shipping is in the area. They have more than enough legitimate trade than to be involved in piracy. The intel used by pirates comes from corporate espionage and not from any government sources. As you and I both agree Indonesia is a very different story.

100% agree.

In all aspects.

The vast majority of Piracy, or covardly armed robbery as I rather want to call it, in Malacca strait is done by contracts.

Along the Somalia coast they operate as the opportunities appear.

The robberies in the Malacca Strait have normally local authorities behind it. Especially Harbour authorities and "super cargo" Officers in the various ports.

The robbers normally know what container they want (and are looking for). Sometimes they even have the serial number and location of the container. It might be 5000 new Nokia phones inside. Easy to offload and sell.

They sometimes know when the ship has received cash via the ship's agent, which also involves the harbour authorities in that particular port.

Normally, in the Malacca Strait, the robbers set sail (speed) towards the Indonesia side of the strait, and then disapears between the islands.

Extremely few (if any) ships sail around with armed guards. the reason is because the ships these days are sailing with a so called absolute minimum safety manning, in order to save money for the Companies.

Hired guards will always create a problem as they will need to have a visa for all the countries the ship will visit.

They need to be on the Crew manifest, which is sent to the various agents in the future ports (and countries).

Having weapons onboard is another hazzle. The weapons must be cleared through customs, harbour authorities, etc, in each and every port the ship calls. Even if the ship calls many ports in the same country. same long procedure each time.

The ships normally sail with all deck lights on, with loaded (pressurized) fire hoses stretched on various locations, and with some of the crew members as guards on the decks.

All ships receive constantly updates from the various Centres that handle the security in the particluar area.

In this region that is in KL, Malaysia.

When transiting between Africa and the Arabian penisula, all ships can cooperate and get in touch with a particular ship that is assigned to handle the security communicatons in that region.

This is done by sending regular e-mails with the ship's position to this contact.

There is always one "Duty officer" on call. He normally sits in a center in Dubai.

Finally, about Singapore.

I have called Singapore 100s of times in my career.

Without a doubt the most professional country, pilots, agents, authorities, etc in the entire region.

This stuff I know.

Disagree, with a seamans book visa entanglements are miniscule.

A lot of ships carry firearms, some even have sonic devices that blow eardrums.

But, like you say the companies are souless corporations often and won't spend the cash

The firehose method is pathetic and more needs to be done.

Self-reliance is key.