It’s a fact….BLACKBEARDS WITH GUNS…….

They are modern day pirates and enjoy pillaging whatever they can lay their hands on, predominately off the east African coast.

Taken from a very recent news paper article, a Somali pirate quote…”I was giving away money to everyone I met, “ said Muse, 38, who said he made $90,000 hijacking ships in two months (Feb. and March 08). “we’re not scared of US troops or any other troops, they have weapons, but so do we”, a quote from Siyad…a fellow Somali pirate.

The International Maritime Bureau states that piracy worldwide is on the rise, with seafarers being subjected to approximately 50 attacks between January and March, up by 20 percent for this same period last year. The Gulf of Aden ties in with India as 2nd on the high risk list, with Nigeria coming in on top globally.

It is a fact that there is an increase in commercial vessel traffic (cargo and superyacht) in high risk passages such as the Arabian Sea / Gulf of Aden. Coupled with this…is an increase in piracy due to the very obvious lucrative returns. As with several medium to high risk areas, adequate planning and correct consultation with relevant authorities greatly assists with “safe passage”, coupled with the necessity to have the best possible “security delivery team” attached to your vessel.