Chinese Navy Special ops discuss tactics on how to engage Somali Pirates.

 

By December 2014 Chinas navy had already escorted more than 20 convoys of merchant vessels to the pirate infested waters off of the Africa / Somalia coast.

The convoys included more than 6000 foreign and Chinese vessels. The United Nations Security Council (U.N.S.C) and Government of Somalia both asked China for its assistance in lending some of its naval power to help quell the Pirate problem in African waters.

In addition to flexing its naval muscle off of the Somali coast, China also recently began flexing its diplomatic muscle with the re-opening of its Embassy in Mogadishu, which is the capital of Somalia.

China has not had an official diplomatic presence in Somalia since it closed its embassy in 1991 when Somalia plunged into a violent civil war. Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister descended upon Somalia from Beijing to attend the opening ceremony of the new Embassy.

The U.S., State department commended China for having a proactive role in fighting piracy in the busy African Sea lanes. "The U.S. is happy to share the responsibility of fighting Piracy with China, and we commend China on its eagerness to protect commercial vessels from Hijacking, this is not just a U.S., or Chinese Concern, it is Worldwide Concern."

Somali Pirates who have been arrested by Chinese Navy Seals for hijacking merchant vessels…

 

By 2008 the Piracy problem in African waters had gotten so far out of control that official naval attention was called for. In response to the call for action, the U.N. passed Resolution 1851 which authorizes foreign navy’s to operate in the waters of another sovereign nation.

Recently more than 700 delegates & representatives from over 50 countries attended 17th plenary session of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) Chinas UAE Ambassador was in attendance and said that while attacks from Pirates have gone down on a year after year basis, shipping lanes in the Gulf of Aden still face significant security concerns.

The Ambassador also mentioned that while patrolling waters is an interim solution to deter piracy, more work needs to be done to address the root of the problem, which is extreme poverty in Somalia. He called upon other nations to assist in helping Somalia further develop economy & security forces.

Since 2012 the amount of pirate related incidents has dropped by a significant amount, there has not been a successful raid against a commercial ship there since May 10, 2012. The Pirate problem once cost the International Community more than $18 billion a year, due to declines in tourism to certain regions and pirates disrupting commercial fishing activities.

The number of attacks on ships off the Somalia Coast reached more than 200 in 2011, with 28 of the attacks resulting in vessel hijackings and sailors held hostage for ransom. According to official U.N. estimates Somali Pirates and Pirates operating in the Horn of Africa have taken in over $413 million in ransom money in the past seven years.

In total more than 1,200 pirates and suspected pirates in 20+ countries are facing prosecution in court or already serving their sentence in Prison.

Questions / Comments? Contact: Mark@cmaritime.com.cn