What are the chances of a pirate attack?

[RNR]

I look forward to starting a career in the Merchant Navy. However, I cannot deny I am a little bit worried about piracy off the coast of Somalia. Are the dangers of sailing in this part of the world overblown in the media? Or is there a high chance, if you are sailing in that part of the world, at some point your vessel may be pirated?

[Malim Sahib]

Re: What are the risks of piracy?

I wouldn't say there's a high chance, but there's always a risk.
Somalia is the place that gets all the media attention, but I'd suggest that the waters off Nigeria, the South China Sea and the Indonesian Archipelago are just as, if not more dangerous.
I've been on two ships which have been attacked by pirates, one in Indonesian waters and the other some 260 miles off the Kenyan coast.
A well run ship will have robust anti piracy precautions in place to discourage it in the first place or to get out of trouble if they do get attacked.
Still, at least whilst you're in the Gulf of Aden we're all on double bubble!

[The H]

Re: What are the risks of piracy?

It would depend on the ship, company, and security procedures in place.

[Brimbo]

Re: What are the risks of piracy?

Every company has diffrent security procedures, places like west africa, mallaca straits, panama etc are main zones. If you visit these area's on your travels youll be well briefed by your Master on the procedures and security.
If your that worried just hide in your cabin until you leave

[dawg]

Re: What are the risks of piracy?

pirates are estimated to have made 60 million dollars in ransom last year.

Do you remember that retired couple who ignored advice and warnings and got nabbed near the Seychelles... I believe they are still being held hostage, 13 months later: http://www.savethechandlers.com/

On that basis, probably being British would mean that they're more likely to sell you (or rent you out), than kill you, if you did get captured; especially when stupidity like this is going on:
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/b ... ansom_paid

So if SK will pay ?5m to free 19 Filipinos and 5 Koreans, then perhaps you can relax, and buy yourself a copy of this for your bedtime reading: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Colloquial-Soma ... 0415100097.
If "danegeld" is already established, and world shipping is the Somali aquatic gangsters' beeyotch.

Mind you, 2 Koreans maybe wasn't enough... just like two Brits on a yacht wasn't... perhaps you've just got to make sure that there's more than 3 (the magic number) officers of the owner's nationality on board as an insurance policy? ...and perhaps chemicals are more valuable than crabs, so think about the cargo you're hauling?

...but seriously folks, I'd concur with Malim... based not on personal experience, just thinking about it...
Somalia is so high profile, people forget that it's the whole tropical belt where this happens... warm shallow waters, high coastal concentrations of poor young unemployed desperate people in messed up countries.
The archipelago of the southern Philippines (Sulu Sea) and the seas south of Taiwan all the way down to the coasts of southern Indonesia, and across from the Andaman & Nicobar islands to Melanesia are so chaotic... so many little islands and minimal infrastructure, it's the perfect place for pirates of all southeast Asian nationalities.
West Africa too from Cabinda across to Sierra Leone would probably be worse if it was as shallow and had as many islands. I guess Central America could be quite bad... northern Colombia, the Miskito Coast, Mexican gangs, but the American presence is probably sufficient to keep a lid on it.

[dawg]

Re: What are the risks of piracy?

...and they're free ...the Danegeld paid again, and the Chandlers are back home (coincidentally).

[steamer]

Re: What are the risks of piracy?

Now that the pirates are so rich, I think we should turn the tables and start capturing their own boats and hold them to ransom in Grimsby-we might be able to reduce the deficit then!!

[GuinnessMan]

Re: What are the risks of piracy?

Maybe use the boats to spruce the place up a bit.

[dawg]

Re: What are the risks of piracy?

How about, when they get captured and claim asylum, put 'em in council houses in Grimsby; that'd learn 'em.

[Malim Sahib]

Re: What are the risks of piracy?

Grimsby? That place is a veritable country estate compared to some.
Now if we were talking about Yorkshire, specifically Barnsley, well.......

[steamer]

Re: What are the risks of piracy?

The thought alone would be a better deterrent than death!!

[Just Ben]

Re: What are the risks of piracy?

Scurvey,
Drinking lots of rum,
Pillaging,
Making people walk the plank,
Poor hygiene

And worst of all, you could contract a Robert Newton accent

These are the real risks of piracy although the drinking rum sounds good to me =]

PS. I think the guys above have provided enough serious answers to warrant this one stupid one, no?