Maritime Security

The Parliamentary Information Office of the Parliamentary Yearbook is currently gathering news items for major features in the next edition covering international measures to protect the world’s sea lanes against piracy

 Last October, David Cameron announced that ships flying the British merchant navy flag would be authorised to carry armed security personnel to combat the piracy threat. The Prime Minister said radical action was required because the increasing ability of sea-borne Somali criminals to hijack and ransom ships had become "a complete stain on our world".

Asked if he was comfortable with giving private security operatives the right to "shoot to kill" if necessary, Mr Cameron told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show: "We have to make choices. Frankly the extent of the hijack and ransom of ships round the Horn of Africa is a complete stain on our world.

"The fact that a bunch of pirates in Somalia are managing to hold to ransom the rest of the world and our trading system is a complete insult and the rest of the world needs to come together with much more vigour.

"I want to help lead this process and as part of that we are going to be taking the step of putting armed guards on our ships."

In a written statement to the House in December, Transport Minister Mike Penning said:

“Evidence shows that ships with armed guards are less likely to be attacked and taken for ransom, and the House will be aware that the Prime Minister confirmed last month that the Government now recognises the use of private armed guards as an option to protect UK registered ships and their crews from acts of piracy. This applies in exceptional circumstances as defined below:

•    when the ship is transiting the high seas throughout the High Risk Area (an area bounded by Suez and the Straights of Hormuz to the North, 10°S and 78°E); and
•    the latest “Best Management Practices” is being followed fully but, on its own, is not deemed by the shipping company and the ship’s master as sufficient to protect against acts of piracy; and
•    the use of armed guards is assessed to reduce the risk to the lives and well being of those onboard the ship.”

It is commonly accepted that there are now more piracy attacks but that the pirates have less success; in addition, that no vessel with armed guards on board has been taken by pirates – attacked yes, hijacked, no. That, though, does not mean we are winning the battle against piracy. There remain more than 250 seafarers in pirate hands, some of whom have been in captivity for a very long time. The problem is not going away and while there may have been encouraging signs of progress as regards prosecutions and prison for pirates in the vicinity, and an enthusiastic reception for guards on merchant ships we are left with the root causes of piracy presently untouched and the nagging political voices from those who deplore ransom payments on principle.

Some of these fears were addressed at the London Somali Conference in London in February convened by Prime Minister, David Cameron and headed by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The outcome of the conference was welcomed by International Maritime Organisation Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu. Speaking after the event, Mr. Sekimizu said, “Mention of the word ‘Somalia’ in a maritime context leads almost exclusively to thoughts of piracy. But, as this conference so clearly highlights, piracy is just one manifestation of the widespread and deep-rooted problems that beset that country and its people.”

A comprehensive and detailed communique adopted by the conference called for, among other things, full implementation of the IMO-led Djibouti Code of Conduct and the adoption of an Exclusive Economic Zone. It also welcomed current work on international guidance on the use of private armed security companies.

Mr. Sekimizu said: “On the issue of piracy, the Conference agreed that piracy cannot be solved by military means alone and reiterated the importance of supporting local communities to tackle the underlying causes of piracy and improving effective use of Somali coastal waters through regional maritime capacity-building measures. I will re-double my efforts to ensure that IMO will provide further support to signatory states of the Djibouti Code of Conduct, including Somalia, within the Djibouti Code of Conduct Trust Fund and accelerate the process of implementation by the IMO.”

Mr. Sekimizu and Mr. Ban have been engaged in a continuing dialogue aimed at improving the mechanisms to tackle such issues in an international context. In January, at a meeting in UN Headquarters in New York, they discussed co-operation between IMO and the UN to combat Somalia-based piracy. Mr. Sekimizu and Mr. Ban met again, in private talks at IMO Headquarters, immediately prior to the London Conference.

Mr. Sekimizu underlined that capacity building in Somalia and neighbouring countries should be enhanced through co-operation between IMO and the UN, UN specialized agencies and other relevant international organisations, building on IMO’s existing capacity-building activities under the Djibouti Code of Conduct.

Meanwhile David Cameron's plans to allow British ships travelling around Africa to carry private armed guards to combat the threat of piracy have been dealt a blow after South Africa insisted this month that they be military. Lindiwe Sisulu, South Africa's defence minister, said she would insist they were military personnel to facilitate dealings with South African marines boarding the ships to inspect them. British military sources say the plan would be "totally unworkable" because the UK lacks the capacity to staff civilian ships with troops.

The IMO itself is organizing a Counter-piracy Capacity-building Conference on 15 May at IMO Headquarters, from which tangible outcomes on the way forward are expected to emerge. The Parliamentary Information Office of the Parliamentary Yearbook will continue to report on the progress of the measures as we go through the months ahead.
This was submitted by the Parliamentary Information Office. For more information visit Parliamentary Information Office.