Piracy Blog mentions for August 24, 2010 showing 32 entries

1. Prosecuting pirates in national courts: US v Said and piracy under US law

   www.ejiltalk.org — . On August 17, a US District Court handed down a fascinating piece of statutory interpretation that apparently means that unless a Somali pirate succeeds in stealing something, he cannot be charged with piracy under US law.. .

   On August 17, a US District Court handed down a fascinating piece of statutory interpretation that apparently means that unless a Somali pirate succeeds in stealing something, he cannot be charged with piracy under US law.

   There have been a number of national piracy trials taking place in Western States, notably in the US and the Netherlands. (I have written on piracy trials in Kenya elsewhere.) In the Netherlands a group of Somali pirates was sentenced to five years in prison. I have not seen either the judgement in Dutch or a summary of it in any other language yet. (If you have it, do let me know). In New York, the young Somali suspect pirate Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse, sole survivor of the gang that attempted to hijack the Maersk Alabama, entered a guilty plea in a deal that removed piracy from the charges against him.

   This leaves US v Said et al, the trial of 11 suspects before the US District Court in Norfolk, Virginia who were alleged to have (rather foolishly) attacked the naval vessel the USS Ashland, an amphibious landing craft transport, in April this year. The New York Times has helpful posted a copy of the interlocutory decision in this case which Justice Jackson struck out the charges of piracy against them. The decision finds that the alleged facts, which involve drawing alongside another vessel and starting a fire-fight with it, do not fall within the US statutory concept of “piracy as defined by the law of nations” (18 USC §1651). The reason for this is that the classic case, US v Smith 18 US 153 (1820), remains the governing authority and it held piracy to be “robbery at sea”. The alleged facts disclose no robbery, ergo no piracy.

   The decision raises a host of issues. I will concentrate more here on points of methodology and issues of national prosecutions of international crimes. I have discussed the international law framework surrounding piracy in a previous post on this blog and will attempt not to repeat matters covered there. Nonetheless, I cannot resist the obvious quote from the Privy Council in Re Piracy Jure Gentium [1934] AC 586, which responded to the suggestion that robbery is a necessary ingredient of piracy by saying:

   “[when confronted with the argument that] armed men, sailing the seas on board a vessel without any commission from any state, could attack and kill everybody on board another vessel … without committing the crime of piracy unless they stole, say, an article worth sixpence, … [one is] almost tempted to say that a little common sense is a valuable quality in the interpretation of international law.”

   In fairness, the decision starts by noting the due process requirement that a criminal defendant should have “fair warning” of the existence of an offence (nullum crimen sine lege) and the prohibition on “novel” constructions of criminal statutes to capture acts not previously (or obviously) criminal. It also starts from the proposition that criminal statutes are to be strictly construed and their meaning is to be judged at the time of their enactment (here 1819).

   The judgment gives short shrift to the prosecutor’s contention that: (1) “the definition of ‘piracy, defined by the law of nations’ includes and has always included any unauthorized violent acts or attacks committed on the high seas without lawful authority against another ship”; and (2) that this definition is not unconstitutionally vague.

   US v Smith certainly did define piracy as “robbery upon the sea”, but it noted (in Justice Story’s epic 18-page footnote) the diversity of definitions then given by authorities and its facts concerned only robbery. That said, the prosecutor was unable to cite wider approaches to the definition in US law (other than in civil forfeiture cases using the broader term “piratical”).

   Unsurprisingly, given the paucity of US sources, the prosecutor argued that the Court should have reference to current international law definitions. The government apparently cited International Maritime Bureau practice, Re Piracy Jure Gentium, the Geneva High Seas Convention 1958 and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (the latter two containing virtually the same definition). The defence case was that the current international law definition of piracy remained so unsettled that the only clear (and thus fair) standard to apply was the prior Supreme Court ruling in US v Smith.

   The Court noted that according to Oppenhiem’s International Law (1905), Re Piracy Jure Gentium, and the relevant treaties piracy included any attack or act of unlawful violence. This, one would have thought a sufficient foundation to conclude there was presently a clear definition at international law.

   The Court, however, took the view that there was no scholarly consensus as to whether there was a settled definition of piracy at customary international law. The decision quotes to this end a few US law journal articles and the magisterial (if idiosyncratic) work, Alfred P. Rubin’s The Law of Piracy (1988). There is indeed a received wisdom in some quarters that there has never been a clear customary international law definition of piracy and therefore there was nothing for the Geneva Convention 1958 to codify; any definition it offers must have been largely novel.

   Like many received wisdoms, it fails under sustained analysis. In particular it gives no weight to the successive re-enactment of the 1958 definition in UNCLOS and other instruments. Both the Geneva Convention and UNCLOS have certainly come to be treated as codifications, even if the claim that there was a clear rule to codify in 1958 might seem shaky. As I’ve put it elsewhere (footnotes omitted):

   “While [the treaty definition are] now generally accepted as customary law, there are worse and better arguments that this definition is not, historically, a codification. Worse arguments focus on national decisions of the 19th or early 20th century … These cannot be a reliable guide to the law a century later, not least because such cases notoriously conflated elements of national and international offences. Better arguments note the diverse, contradictory historical case law and scholarly commentary and ask how any coherent rule could emerge from such incoherent material. Both arguments fail to acknowledge that the successive re-enactment of this definition in treaties and regional instruments evidence States’ present acceptance of it as custom no matter how unconvincing this proposition might seem viewed over the longue durée.”

   The position that the universally applicable legal framework dealing with piracy is reflected in UNCLOS has also been endorsed in Security Council Resolutions 1816, 1838, 1846, 1851, 1897 and 1918. If this isn’t evidence that that the treaty definition is now believed to be custom I’m not sure what is.

   The Court also declines to look to international sources not only because of lack of clarity but because

   “there is no single court that can bring order to various interpretations of UNCLOS [regarding piracy]. Rather, enforcement actions against pirates and criminal prosecutions of pirates are left to individual countries, many of which have different penalties for the crime of piracy ranging from three years to life in prison.”

   Quibbles could be raised about these points, but they are all ultimately tangential. The Court ultimately held against looking to current international law sources because as they “evolve over time, defendants in the United States courts would be required to constantly guess whether their conduct is proscribed by § 1651.” A somewhat facetious response would suggest that the likelihood of any Somali having contemplated 18 USC §1651 is vanishingly remote. Obviously, though, it would certainly impair running a defence if your lawyers had no notice of what the definition of the offence was until the Court had determined it. There are also, perhaps, policy considerations in the propriety of courts receiving wholesale from custom criminal law standards in an age that expects such matters to be set out clearly and in advance, in written form, by elected legislatures (see, for example, the Australian case Nulyarimma v Thompson [1999] FCA 1192, paras 53 and 161; see also footnote 6 in Said v US).

   It is hard to argue against the proposition that a defendant (or rather his lawyers) should have fair notice of the case they will have to plead and reasonably certain standards to guide them. The lesson for States wishing to prosecute pirates has to be to update your statutory definitions. This should not particularly difficult, but some legislative efforts look rather better than others.

   In the UK s. 26(1), Merchant Shipping and Maritime Security Act 1997 (c. 28) states: “For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that for the purposes of any proceedings before a court in the United Kingdom in respect of piracy, the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 … shall be treated as constituting part of the law of nations”. That is, the UK crime remains piracy by law of nations, but judges are directed to construe that customary international law crime in line with UNCLOS. Whether this somewhat tortuous formula provides sufficient certainty for defence lawyers remains to be seen. Australia, rather more directly, simply incorporated the language of UNCLOS into ss. 51-53, Crimes Act 1914. There are reports of new laws in jurisdiction such as Spain and Japan. It might be time for the US to revisit its definition as well, especially in light of its treaty commitments under the Geneva Convention 1958.

   more info…

   Published: August 23, 2010

2. Royal Navy must have more ships

   www.thisiswesternmorningnews.co.uk — . The “dangerously weak” Royal Navy will put trade routes at risk from pirates and terrorists unless the Government buys more frigates, a think tank has warned.. .

   The “dangerously weak” Royal Navy will put trade routes at risk from pirates and terrorists unless the Government buys more frigates, a think tank has warned.

   The Royal United Services Institute said ships in the current fleet were near the end of their useful life and at least 10 more frigates were needed.

   The warning comes as the Ministry of Defence (MoD) reviews its future military requirements and looks to cut costs as part of the Government’s drive to tackle the budget deficit.

   Devonport naval base, which is likely to come under close scrutiny during the review, is home to a flotilla of 14 frigates and destroyers which spend months at a time battling pirates and drug smugglers.

   The article said the average age of surface combatant ships was forecast to rise from 15 years in 2012 to 21 years in 2021. HMS Chatham, one of Plymouth’s 11 frigates, has been in service for 23 years.

   In their article, Vice-Admiral Sir Jeremy Blackham and Professor Gwyn Prins argue a strong navy deters pirates, terrorists and non-friendly governments from disrupting trade routes by quietly patrolling the seas.

   It points out that 95 per cent of British trade by volume and 90 per cent by value is carried out by sea.

   But the Navy’s policing role risks being undermined if it does not receive extra funding, they argue. The article adds that it would be a “grave failure” if the review “attended principally – or worse, exclusively” to the financial squeeze from the Government and political pressure over Afghanistan.

   The article states: “No one associates the full supermarket shelves, the availability of a range of other goods, and the supply of fuels to power our homes, cars and industry with the free flow of sea trade.

   “The free flow that makes globalised trade and the creation of prosperity possible depends prominently upon the presence of naval units at sea, unseen and silent and therefore easily forgotten.”

   The article argues that future orders should be “seriously cost-constrained” so that ships were more basic and more could be bought. The MoD has said one of its long-term aims will be to use less specialised, cheaper ships that are easier to sell abroad.

   “Real world tasks urgently require significantly more surface combatants, of lower cost and capability. Use of the sea demands presence along the sea routes,” the article said.

   “A poised force is the prerequisite for preemptive action. It is also the prerequisite for surprise.

   “Surprise is often the ability to appear without warning and in force.

   “The ships needed to fulfil these missions must have endurance, versatility, role adaptability and number, and be cheaper.”

   The Government has said only maintaining the Trident nuclear deterrent will be spared from the defence review.

   A spokesman for the MoD said: “The future configuration of our armed forces will be based on the findings of the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) which is under way.

   “The complex process of a SDSR will conclude in the autumn and speculation at this stage about its outcome is entirely unfounded.”

   Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme yesterday, Prof Prins said frigates were the “glue” that held the service together.

   “They need to be there because they provide mass and they provide presence,” he said.

   “What we are lacking is the essential glue that makes the Navy coherent.”

   But appearing alongside him, former naval officer Lewis Page said it was a mistake for the service to be “institutionally wedded” to buying more frigates.

   “The lesson of World War II was big service combatants, battleships, had been replaced by aircraft carriers,” he said.

   “Nowadays we have helicopters, and whenever a frigate does anything useful, which is quite rare, it is usually its helicopter that did it,” he continued

   more info…

   Published: August 24, 2010

3. Judge Throws out Piracy Charges against Somali Pirates

   www.themaritimelawyer.com — . A US District Court judge has thrown out charges of piracy against a gang of six Somali men in an attack on the U.S. Navy vessel, USS Ashland this year.. . … The U.S. Navy ship was attacked off the Horn of Africa in April.

   A US District Court judge has thrown out charges of piracy against a gang of six Somali men in an attack on the U.S. Navy vessel, USS Ashland this year.

   The U.S. Navy ship was attacked off the Horn of Africa in April. The six were accused of opening fire on the vessel from a small stiff. The Navy vessel returned fire. One of the men was killed, and the stiff sank. All six men in the boat were captured.

   Their lawyers argued that their actions did not amount to piracy, because they did not board the vessel, did not take control of the vessel and did not take anything of value from the vessel. Last week, Judge Raymond Jackson of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, agreed with the defense lawyers. If the piracy charge had stuck, it would have resulted in a mandatory sentence of life in prison.

   Although the piracy charges have been thrown out, the six continue to face charges of attacking to plunder the vessel, assault with a dangerous weapon on US officers and employees, and acts of violence against people on the vessel. The men had early been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of attack to plunder a vessel, piracy, assault with a dangerous weapon, and conspiracy to use firearms during a crime of violence.

   The dismissal of the piracy charges should encourage a group of 5 other Somali men who are accused of mounting an attack on the USS Nicholas on 31 March. These men are also seeking a dismissal of the piracy charges.

   Maritime lawyer Brian Beckcom is a Board-Certified Trial Lawyer whose primary focus is the representation of Jones Act seamen, including tankermen, galley hands, deckhands, cruise line crews, fishing vessel crew members, offshore workers and other maritime workers in accidents in Texas, across the country and international waters.

   Image Courtesy: Flickr – kainr

   more info…

   Published: August 23, 2010

4. US Navy acknowledges delay in warship contract

   www.foxbusiness.com — WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Navy acknowledged Monday … The Navy plans to buy 55 of the ships overall, a key part of its plan to increase the number of ships in the fleet to 313 over time.. .

   By Andrea Shalal-Esa

   WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Navy acknowledged
   Monday that it will miss its summer target for awarding a
   multibillion contract for new warships but said it still
   expects to reach a decision before the end of the year.

   Austal USA, a unit of Australia’s Austal Ltd, and
   Lockheed Martin Corp are competing for a contract
   valued at upwards of $5 billion to build 10 Littoral Combat
   Ships (LCS) for the Navy, and combat systems for five more.

   Sources told Reuters on Friday that a contract award, which
   had been expected in late July or early August, was unlikely to
   come until fall given ongoing discussions with the bidders.

   Navy spokesman Commander Victor Chen said Monday that
   the Navy is working on the source selection diligently,
   thoroughly and in line with applicable laws.

   He said the Navy is in talks with the two bidding teams and
   will soon request a fresh set of final proposal revisions that
   would be due in September.

   The Navy will also require that those revised final offers
   remained valid for 90 days, Chen said. That would take the
   offers through the end of the year.

   “The Navy intends to make a contract award as expeditiously
   as practicable, consistent with its source selection plan, but
   in any event prior to the expiration of such offers,” Chen
   said.

   He said the Navy’s need to protect the integrity of the
   competition process and the confidentiality of the information
   submitted by the bidders significantly limits its ability to
   provide additional details.

   The new class of warships would be designed for emerging
   missions such as fighting pirates, chasing drug-runners and
   sweeping for mines in shallow coastal waters. The Navy plans to
   buy 55 of the ships overall, a key part of its plan to increase
   the number of ships in the fleet to 313 over time.

   The Navy, in an unusual step, reopened discussions with the
   companies about cost and technical matters after they submitted
   their final proposal revisions on July 12, according to sources
   closely following the process.

   Both companies were due to have discussions with the Navy
   on Monday.

   A meeting of the Pentagon’s high-level Defense Acquisition
   Board to review the Littoral Combat Ship program, initially
   scheduled for Aug. 4, has also been delayed until mid-October,
   Pentagon spokeswoman Cheryl Irwin said on Friday.
   (Reporting by Andrea Shalal-Esa, editing by Gerald E.
   McCormick)

   

   more info…

   Published: August 23, 2010

5. Navy eyes UAVs that function like choppers

   idrw.org — The Navy is looking to buy a new type of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that operates and functions like a chopper. … It can be operated from ship decks for real time surveillance and intelligence

   BY:Tribune News Service

   The Navy is looking to buy a new type of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that operates and functions like a chopper. It can be operated from ship decks for real time surveillance and intelligence gathering at sea to spot militants, pirates and enemies, besides aiding in rescue operations and scanning oil rigs.

   So far the armed forces have the conventional UAVs that take-off like small planes and hover over specified targets to gather information. Most of these are acquired from friendly foreign countries, while the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have also developed some of these.

   However, the Navy cannot put them to much use as an open space is needed to enable a landing when a UAV returns back to base. This will not be possible at high seas, where decks are constrained for space.

   The Ministry of Defence has sent out a request for information to global players asking what kind of single engine or twin engine UAV’s can be supplied. The main requirement will be for vertical take off and landing facility. It will be fitted with scanners, high-resolution cameras and infrared imagers. Besides, it will have the capability to operate all weather conditions. Most such UAV’s will be operated off naval ship decks that have helicopter landing facility.

   The UAVs will be used for surveillance, targeting and intelligence gathering, using a combination infrared optical sensor and lasers. The Navy can also use this for search and rescue operations. Another use will be to carry a common data link and serve as a radio and data relay platform between ships at sea and ground stations.

   more info…

   Published: August 24, 2010

6. Navy eyes UAVs that function like choppers

   www.defence.pk — The Navy is looking to buy a new type of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that operates and functions like a chopper. … It can be operated from ship decks for real time surveillance and intelligence

   BY:Tribune News ServiceThe Tribune, Chandigarh, India – Nation

   The Navy is looking to buy a new type of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that operates and functions like a chopper. It can be operated from ship decks for real time surveillance and intelligence gathering at sea to spot militants, pirates and enemies, besides aiding in rescue operations and scanning oil rigs.

   So far the armed forces have the conventional UAVs that take-off like small planes and hover over specified targets to gather information. Most of these are acquired from friendly foreign countries, while the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have also developed some of these.

   However, the Navy cannot put them to much use as an open space is needed to enable a landing when a UAV returns back to base. This will not be possible at high seas, where decks are constrained for space.

   The Ministry of Defence has sent out a request for information to global players asking what kind of single engine or twin engine UAV’s can be supplied. The main requirement will be for vertical take off and landing facility. It will be fitted with scanners, high-resolution cameras and infrared imagers. Besides, it will have the capability to operate all weather conditions. Most such UAV’s will be operated off naval ship decks that have helicopter landing facility.

   The UAVs will be used for surveillance, targeting and intelligence gathering, using a combination infrared optical sensor and lasers. The Navy can also use this for search and rescue operations. Another use will be to carry a common data link and serve as a radio and data relay platform between ships at sea and ground stations.

   more info…

   Published: August 24, 2010

7. Royal Navy Cuts ‘Could Leave Us At Mercy Of Pirates’

   www.HMForces.co.uk — *THE Royal Navy is ‘dangerously weak’ and could soon leave Britain at risk of pirates and terrorists, experts have warned.* . … And an ageing fleet of fewer ships would leave the Navy ‘inadequate

   *THE Royal Navy is ‘dangerously weak’ and could soon leave Britain at risk of pirates and terrorists, experts have warned.*

   Just weeks ago, the Defence Secretary Liam Fox warned of the need for cuts. And he criticised the Navy for spending far too much on state-of-the-art ships.

   But although Vice Admiral Sir Jeremy Blackham and security expert Professor Gwyn Prins accept the public finances are in a dire state, they warn that ‘national security is not a discretionary expenditure’. Previous underfunding and the threat of cuts may leave the Navy dangerously overstretched, they say. And unless the fleet is restored, there could be dire consequences, they warn, writing in the journal of defence think-tank the Royal United Services Institute.

   The UK relies on safe sea routes for 95 per cent of imports and exports, they point out.

   And an ageing fleet of fewer ships would leave the Navy ‘inadequate for the most fundamental, enduring and vital tasks’, including the safeguarding of trade routes from pirates, terrorists or unfriendly governments.

   They also warn that Britain could be left with just 19 frigates at the end of the decade.

   Streamlining Services Could End Anomalies

   *A service of YellowBrix, Inc.*

   more info…

   Published: August 23, 2010

8. Israel boards Gaza-bound ships, 15 dead: reports – Topix

   www.topix.com — . mumtaz wrote: i start where media stop!!. MOSSAD intelligence got new information,now Turkey will send aid flotilla to Pakistan and mossad organized mediterranian pirates are preparing new

   mumtaz wrote: i start where media stop!!
   MOSSAD intelligence got new information,now Turkey will send aid flotilla to Pakistan and mossad organized mediterranian pirates are preparing new plans to attack Pakistan aid flotillas,in international waters and they will stael aids and they will sell,in telaviv bazaars. Look who’s not helping out. Hahahahahahah Go Greece!!!!!

   Nicosia has told a group of activists heading for Gaza that they will not be able to dock for provisions or refuelling at the Cyprus port of Limassol.

   The ship, carrying aid for Gaza from Lebanon, will now have to find another stop-off point, as the Cypriots have said they will not let the ship leave for Gaza if it pulls in to its harbour.

   The ship, the Mariam, had been due to depart from the Libyan port of Tripoli.

   Passengers on board have put the rejection down to the influence of the Israelis, who they have said “control huge areas of the Mediterranean.”

   While Cyprus was used as a launching point for activists to reach Gaza by sea from 2008 until mid-2009, the Israeli commando raid on a Turkish ship in May has made the country’s government more wary.

   Nine pro-Palestinian Turks died when the Israeli commandos boarded aid vessels heading for Gaza.

   Israel has constantly warned that it will not allow ships to reach Gaza, which is controlled by the militant Palestinian group, Hamas.

   http://www.philippinesnews.net/story/675737

   more info…

   Published: August 23, 2010

9. 6 Indians on board of ship hijacked by Somali pirates

   www.ndtv.com — A cargo ship with a 22-member crew has been hijacked by Somali pirates. … Six of the crew members are Indian. … The ship, M. V. Suez, was hijacked on August 2 from the Gulf of Aden. . . .

   A cargo ship with a 22-member crew has been hijacked by Somali pirates. Six of the crew members are Indian. The ship, M. V. Suez, was hijacked on August 2 from the Gulf of Aden.

   

   

   

   more info…

   Published: August 23, 2010

10. Panama-flagged ship with 6 Indians hijacked by Somali pirates

    in.news.yahoo.com — Mumbai, Aug 23 (PTI) Six Indians were among 22 crew members on board a Panama-flagged ship that was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, the Directorate General of Shipping today said.

    Mumbai, Aug 23 (PTI) Six Indians were among 22 crew
    members on board a Panama-flagged ship that was hijacked by
    Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, the
    Directorate General of Shipping today said.

    more info…

    Published: August 23, 2010

11. 6 Indians on board of ship hijacked by Somali pirates

    indelve.com — A cargo ship with a 22-member crew has been hijacked by Somali pirates. … Six of the crew members are Indian. … The ship, M. V. Suez, was hijacked on August 2 from the Gulf of Aden.. . … 17 Vote(s)

    A cargo ship with a 22-member crew has been hijacked by Somali pirates. Six of the crew members are Indian. The ship, M. V. Suez, was hijacked on August 2 from the Gulf of Aden.

    17 Vote(s)

    more info…

    Published: August 23, 2010

12. 6 Indians on board of ship hijacked by Somali pirates

    www.desithemes.com — A cargo ship with a 22-member crew has been hijacked by Somali pirates. … Six of the crew members are Indian. … The ship, M. V. Suez, was hijacked on August 2 from the Gulf of Aden.. . … 8 Vote(s)

    A cargo ship with a 22-member crew has been hijacked by Somali pirates. Six of the crew members are Indian. The ship, M. V. Suez, was hijacked on August 2 from the Gulf of Aden.

    8 Vote(s)

    more info…

    Published: August 23, 2010

13. 6 Indians on board of ship hijacked by Somali pirates

    www.faultfix.com — . A cargo ship with a 22-member crew has been hijacked by Somali pirates. … Six of the crew members are Indian. … The ship, M. V. Suez, was hijacked on August 2 from the Gulf of Aden.. . . . . . . … NDTV News – Top Stories .

    A cargo ship with a 22-member crew has been hijacked by Somali pirates. Six of the crew members are Indian. The ship, M. V. Suez, was hijacked on August 2 from the Gulf of Aden.

    

    

    

    NDTV News – Top Stories

    more info…

    Published: August 23, 2010

14. U.S. judge throws out piracy charge

    www.forumenerji.com — A U.S. federal judge throws out a piracy charge against six Somalis in the April attack on the USS Ashland naval ship in the Gulf of Aden. … Üye Olmak için TIKLAYIN…]

    A U.S. federal judge throws out a piracy charge against six Somalis in the April attack on the USS Ashland naval ship in the Gulf of Aden. They still face other charges in the attack, in which one of their companions was killed.[Üye Olmadan Linkleri Göremezsiniz. Üye Olmak için TIKLAYIN...]

    more info…

    Published: August 23, 2010

15. Royal Navy ‘dangerously weak

    hutch4538.wordpress.com — . Royal Navy ‘dangerously weak.. Royal Navy ‘dangerously weak’: ePolitix.com . … The Royal Navy needs to expand its fleet of frigates in order to maintain security, according to the Royal United Services Institute.. .

    Royal Navy ‘dangerously weak.

    Royal Navy ‘dangerously weak’: ePolitix.com

    The Royal Navy needs to expand its fleet of frigates in order to maintain security, according to the Royal United Services Institute.

    A report published today by the defence and security think-tank argues that past underfunding and current extreme financial pressures will leave the fleet “dangerously weak” and inadequate for the task of safeguarding trade routes from pirates, terrorists or non-friendly governments.

    “No one associates the full supermarket shelves, the availability of a range of other goods and the supply of fuels to power our homes, cars and industry with the free flow of sea trade,” the report observes.

    “The free flow that makes globalised trade and the creation of prosperity possible depends prominently upon the presence of naval units at sea, unseen and silent and therefore easily forgotten.”

    The reports authors, vice-admiral Sir Jeremy Blackham and professor Gwyn Prins, warn that unless the problem is addressed in the next ten years the navy will be left with only nineteen frigates.

    And the paper argues the navy needs at least ten new cheaper frigates to help patrol major sea routes. “”Every trading nation is necessarily a maritime nation,” the report says.”And maritime presence demands numbers”.

    “Any trading nation has a critical interest in the secure use of the seas and the preservation of good order at sea… The dependence of the West, but especially of Britain, on use of the sea for its survival and prosperity is a geopolitical fact of life,” write Blackham and Prins.

    The report comes as the Ministry of Defence grapples with making the significant spending cuts demanded by the Treasury.

    

    more info…

    Published: August 23, 2010

16. Royal Navy ‘dangerously weak.

    resapper.blogspot.com — Royal Navy ‘dangerously weak’: ePolitix.com . … The Royal Navy needs to expand its fleet of frigates in order to maintain security, according to the Royal United Services Institute.. .

    Royal Navy ‘dangerously weak’: ePolitix.com

    The Royal Navy needs to expand its fleet of frigates in order to maintain security, according to the Royal United Services Institute.

    A report published today by the defence and security think-tank argues that past underfunding and current extreme financial pressures will leave the fleet “dangerously weak” and inadequate for the task of safeguarding trade routes from pirates, terrorists or non-friendly governments.

    “No one associates the full supermarket shelves, the availability of a range of other goods and the supply of fuels to power our homes, cars and industry with the free flow of sea trade,” the report observes.

    “The free flow that makes globalised trade and the creation of prosperity possible depends prominently upon the presence of naval units at sea, unseen and silent and therefore easily forgotten.”

    The reports authors, vice-admiral Sir Jeremy Blackham and professor Gwyn Prins, warn that unless the problem is addressed in the next ten years the navy will be left with only nineteen frigates.

    And the paper argues the navy needs at least ten new cheaper frigates to help patrol major sea routes. “”Every trading nation is necessarily a maritime nation,” the report says.”And maritime presence demands numbers”.

    “Any trading nation has a critical interest in the secure use of the seas and the preservation of good order at sea… The dependence of the West, but especially of Britain, on use of the sea for its survival and prosperity is a geopolitical fact of life,” write Blackham and Prins.

    The report comes as the Ministry of Defence grapples with making the significant spending cuts demanded by the Treasury.

    [google2e712246a3e21a8a.htm

    

    

    

    more info...

    Published: August 23, 2010

17. 6 Indians on hijacked ship

    indiatoday.intoday.in -- Six Indians were among 22 crew members on board a Panama-flagged ship that was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, the Directorate General of Shipping today said.

    Six Indians were among 22 crew members on board a Panama-flagged ship that was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, the Directorate General of Shipping today said.

    more info...

    Published: August 23, 2010

18. 6 Indians aboard hijacked ship

    hindu.com -- Mumbai: Six Indian crew members are onboard a Panamanian cargo ship, which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said here on Monday.

    Mumbai: Six Indian crew members are onboard a Panamanian cargo ship, which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said here on Monday. — IANS Printer friendly

    Copyright � 2010, The Hindu.

    more info...

    Published: August 23, 2010

19. &#39Six Indians aboard hijacked Panamanian ship&#39

    www.southasianews.com -- . Mumbai, Aug 23 (IANS) Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from ...

    Mumbai, Aug 23 (IANS) Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from ...

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    Published: August 23, 2010

20. Six Indians aboard hijacked Panamanian ship

    www.prokerala.com -- Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said here Monday.

    Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said here Monday.
    The ship, "MV Suez", was hijacked by the pirates early Aug...

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    Published: August 23, 2010

21. 'Six Indians aboard hijacked Panamanian ship'

    www.vattal.com -- Mumbai, Aug 23 - Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said here Monday.

    Mumbai, Aug 23 - Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said here Monday.
    The ship, 'MV Suez', was hijacked by the pirates early Aug 2, according to the directorate general of shipping

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    Published: August 23, 2010

22. 'Six Indians aboard hijacked Panamanian ship'

    blog.taragana.com -- MUMBAI - Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said here Monday.

    MUMBAI - Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said here Monday.

    The ship, "MV Suez", was hijacked by the pirates early Aug 2, according to the directorate general of shipping (DGS) here. .... Source : Gaea News Network.

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    Published: August 23, 2010

23. 'Six Indians aboard hijacked Panamanian ship'

    www.thaindian.com -- Mumbai, Aug 23 (IANS) Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said here Monday.

    Mumbai, Aug 23 (IANS) Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said here Monday.
    The ship, "MV Suez", was hijacked by the pirates early Aug 2, according to the directorate general of shipping [...]

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    Published: August 23, 2010

24. Russian warship escorts 10 vessels in GoA

    www.closeprotectionworld.co.uk — The Russian destroyer RFS Admiral Levchenko on Monday started escorting a convoy of 10 commercial ships through pirate-infested waters off the Gulf of Aden and the Horn of Africa, a Navy spokesman

    The Russian destroyer RFS Admiral Levchenko on Monday started escorting a convoy of 10 commercial ships through pirate-infested waters off the Gulf of Aden and the Horn of Africa, a Navy spokesman said.

    “A total of 46 Russian nationals are part of the ships’ crews being escorted,” the spokesman said.

    A task force led by the RFS Admiral Levchenko, an Udaloy class guided-missile destroyer of the Northern Fleet, arrived in the Gulf of Aden on July 3 to join the international anti-piracy mission near Somalia. The Russian mission also includes the Olekma tanker and the SB-36 tugboat of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

    The SB-36 tugboat thwarted on August 3 an attack of two pirate boats on the Russian-flagged Dafna tanker in the southern part of the Red Sea.

    According to the London-based International Maritime Bureau, the number of pirate attacks worldwide decreased in the first half of 2010 by 34% year-on-year mostly due to the ongoing anti-piracy operation in the Gulf of Aden.

    The Russian Navy has maintained a presence off the Horn of Africa with warships operating on a rotation basis. Russia joined international anti-piracy efforts off the Somali coast in October 2008.

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    Published: August 23, 2010

25. ‘Six Indians Aboard Hijacked Panamanian Ship’

    www.vamban.com — Mumbai, Aug 23 – Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said here Monday.

    Mumbai, Aug 23 – Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said here Monday. The ship, ‘MV Suez’, was hijacked by the pirates early Aug 2, according to the directorate general of [...]‘Six Indians Aboard Hijacked Panamanian Ship’ is a post from: Vamban News Blog

    Wanna Read updated news, Visit Vamban News Blog and keep you updated.

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    Published: August 23, 2010

26. ‘Six Indians aboard hijacked Panamanian ship’

    news-views.in — . Mumbai, Aug 23 – Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said here Monday.

    Mumbai, Aug 23 – Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said here Monday.

    The ship, ‘MV Suez’, was hijacked by the pirates early Aug 2, according to the directorate general of shipping (DGS) here.

    The distressed ship called for help, but the pirates had already taken control of the vessel and were on board by the time a naval helicopter arrived.

    The ship, carrying an unspecified quantity of cement, was on a voyage from Karachi (Pakistan) to Massawa port in Eritrea, on the east African coast.

    Details of the incident, including the welfare of the 22 crew members including six Indians, are not known, the ship’s managers, Red Sea Navigation Company, of Suez in Egypt, informed the DGS.

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    Published: August 23, 2010

27. 8 killed on hijacked Philippine tourist bus (AP)

    www.newinternationaltimes.com — Related posts: Somali pirates leave hijacked ship after 1 day (AP) Tourist boats collide in Thailand, 42 injured (AP) SKorean navy pursuing hijacked tanker off Somalia (AP)

    AP – A 12-hour hostage stand-off on a hijacked Philippine bus ended in bloodshed Monday, with officials saying at least seven Chinese tourists were dead along with the disgruntled ex-policeman…

    Related posts:

    1. Somali pirates leave hijacked ship after 1 day (AP)
    2. Tourist boats collide in Thailand, 42 injured (AP)
    3. SKorean navy pursuing hijacked tanker off Somalia (AP)

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    Published: August 23, 2010

28. ‘Six Indians aboard hijacked Panamanian ship’

    www.bombaynews.net — Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said here Monday.

    Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said here Monday.

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    Published: August 23, 2010

29. ‘Six Indians aboard hijacked Panamanian ship’

    in.news.yahoo.com — Mumbai, Aug 23 (IANS) Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said here Monday.

    Mumbai, Aug 23 (IANS) Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said here Monday.

    more info…

    Published: August 23, 2010

30. Panamanian hijacked ship has 6 Indians aboard

    economictimes.indiatimes.com — Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said Monday.

    Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said Monday.

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    Published: August 23, 2010

31. Panamanian hijacked ship has 6 Indians aboard

    www.indianpick.com — Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said Monday.. . … 12 Vote(s)

    Six Indian crew members are on board a Panamanian cargo ship which was hijacked by Somali pirates from the Gulf of Aden earlier this month, a top Indian maritime authority said Monday.

    12 Vote(s)

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    Published: August 23, 2010

32. Whisk your own pajama pirates off to bed

    www.examiner.com — Pajama Pirates has set sail today and will take you on an adventure full of fun. … As more pirates come in sight, pajama pirates have to come up with a plan.

    Tired of all the same bedtime stories? Pajama Pirates has set sail today and will take you on an adventure full of fun.
    As the moon begins its evening show,
    Pajama pirates yell,
    “Oh no!”
    Not ready for bed, the pajama pirates know just what to do; put on their pj’s and let the treasure hunt begin!
    A stolen map charts their way, but when they run across another ship, there’s a clash of swords and a bitter fight. As more pirates come in sight, pajama pirates have to come up with a plan.
    When the battle’s won, the crew surrenders tired oars and lands the ship on…

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    Published: August 24, 2010