Improvise, Adapt, Overcome! July 15, 2011
Posted by Chris Mark in Uncategorized.Tags: Armed escort, Chris Mark, gulf of aden, InfoSec, Maritime Security, Piracy & Maritime Security
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The pirates are clearly applying all three tactics. While the problem won’t be solved on the high seas alone, right now this is where the rubber is meeting the road. That said, recent intelligence indicates that pirates are purchasing information from operatives in London and the Persian Gulf, which provides precise information where the most lucrative and vulnerable ships will be.
In asymmetric warfare, intelligence becomes a key aspect in defeating practices being used against your tactics. British police recently detected efforts to obtain information for pirates, and believe these efforts are becoming more intense.
Having transited the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean personally on clients’ vessels no less than six times, I can tell you first hand that this modus operandi has been occurring for well over a year, yet the industry is only now acknowledging this fact.
Pirates are equipping mother ships with GPS, radar and satellite phones, which enables them to direct skiffs to actual latitude/longitude positions. A recently pirated vessel that was released reported that when pirates boarded the vessel, they asked the crew “where they had been,” and that they were waiting for them for two hours.
Pirates are actively seeking information on shipping companies’ plans in general. Pirates are beginning to equip boarding parties with explosives and welding equipment to give them a chance of breaching citadels; this will keep warships away because now they have hostages.
Pirates Sieze Vessel Carrying Livestock July 15, 2011
Posted by Chris Mark in Uncategorized.Tags: Chris Mark, InfoSec, Maritime Security, Piracy & Maritime Security
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The end of the claims that no ships have been hijacked since April has officially ended. On July 15th, Pirates hijacked a vessel carrying livestock bound for the UAE. The vessel was sailing from Bosasso to UAE and was hijacked just outside of Puntland. Considering it is still monsoon season, this suggests that the impending pirate season will be another record breaker.
False Sense of Security! July 13, 2011
Posted by Chris Mark in Uncategorized.Tags: gulf of aden, InfoSec, Maritime Security, Piracy & Maritime Security
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I recently read a request that came across my desk from a shipping company that demanded we only provide a two man security team for a vessel transiting the Gulf of Aden. The ship was over 180 meters in length, had a crew of over 20 and was a “low and slow.” After pondering over this request for a minute I thought of the message this dangerous type of situation sends. Frankly, the industry is exposing itself to far greater risk by cutting down on the requisite number of men that can effectively defend a “sustained attack.” By most accounts anyone reading the live piracy report posted on the IMB’s website has seen attacks lasting as long as an hour, with pirates chasing vessels in multiple skiffs. A four man team provides barely enough coverage, and I’d caution companies who are engaged by security specialists that purport two or three men, with a couple of ineffective weapons such as a shotgun and an old bolt action rifle will be enough of a deterrent to thwart an attack. We have actually seen pictures of three man teams with one vintage rifle from the 1800’s and 11 bullets total tasked to defend a ship.
Think of it this way, if a potential client approached you as a ship owner with a request for just the captain and chief engineer to operate a vessel you owned, would you expose yourself to that type of risk for the sake of making money?
Iranian Navy Foils Pirate Attack July 13, 2011
Posted by Chris Mark in Uncategorized.Tags: Chris Mark, InfoSec, Maritime Security, Piracy & Maritime Security
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According to reports, the Iranian Navy and Iranian Marines have prevented a pirate attack against an Iranian cargo ship in the Indian Ocean. Read the report here.
July 11th….US Marines and Pirates…a 200 year history! July 11, 2011
Posted by Chris Mark in Piracy & Maritime Security, Uncategorized.Tags: Chris Mark, InfoSec, Marines, Maritime Security, USMC
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On November 10th, 1775 in Tun’s Tavern, Philadelphia, PA. The United States Marines were born as the Continental Marines. With the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War on April 11th, 1783 Congress dissolved the Continental Marines and Continental Navy. On July 11th, 1798 US President John Adams signed “An Act for Establishing and Organizing a Marine Corps,” effectively creating a new branch of the military. The US Marines were born again! So what does this have to do with Pirates?? Read On!!
In 1794 the US (and European nations) was plagued by pirate attacks on merchant vessels traveling near what was then called the Pirate Coast. The Pirate coast consisted of Tunis, Algiers, and Tripoli. The pirates would hijack ships, take crews captive and then demand ransom. Many nations payed a tributes to keep their ships safe. As a new nation, the US was not in a position to pay tribute nor did they have an interest.
On October 3rd, 1803 the US Frigate Philadelphia and schooner Vixen (now that is a Ship’s name!) were ordered to Tripoli with whom the US had been at war over the piracy. The Philadelphia was run aground and the the ship’s crew captured by the Basha of Tripoli. The Philadelphia was captured and towed to the port of Tripoli. So, what do the Marines have to do with this?? Read On!!
In response, the US sent a contingent of Marines (7 to be exact) led by Lt. Presley O’bannon to overthrow the ruler of Tripoli and help re-establish the reign of Hamet Karamanli in what was to be known as the First Barbary War. This war marked the first time the US was to plant the flag of the new nation on foreign soil and was when the US Marines were presented with the Mamaluke Sword which, since 1825 has been a part of the US Marine Corps officer Uniform. The war also has been memorialized in the Marines hymn which starts: “From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli…”
While piracy off the African Coast has seen a resurgence in recent years, the US, and specifically the US Marines have a long and storied history with piracy….
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