Piracy off the coast of Somalia has been a threat to international shipping since the beginning of the Somali Civil War in the early 1990s.[1] Since 2005, many international organizations have expressed concern over the rise in acts of piracy.[2] [3] Piracy impeded the delivery of shipments and increased shipping expenses, costing an estimated $6.6-$6.9 billion a year in global trade according to Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP).[4] According to the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), a veritable industry of profiteers also arose around the piracy. Insurance companies significantly increased their profits from the pirate attacks as insurance companies hiked premium rates in response.[5]
Combined Task Force 150, a multinational coalition task force, took on the role of fighting the piracy by establishing a Maritime Security Patrol Area (MSPA) within the Gulf of Aden and Socotra Passage.[6] According to the International Maritime Bureau, pirate attacks had by October 2012 dropped to a six-year low, with only one ship attacked in the third quarter compared to thirty-six during the same period in 2011.[7] By December 2013, the US Office of Naval Intelligence reported that only 9 vessels had been attacked during the year by pirates, with zero successful hijackings.[8] Control Risks attributed this 90% decline in pirate activity from the corresponding period in 2012 to the adoption of better management practices by vessel owners and crews, armed private security on board ships, a significant naval presence, and the development of onshore security forces.[9]
See main article: List of ships attacked by Somali pirates in 2008.
See main article: List of ships attacked by Somali pirates in 2009.
See main article: List of ships attacked by Somali pirates in 2010.
See main article: List of ships attacked by Somali pirates in 2011.
See main article: List of ships attacked by Somali pirates in 2012.