The number of acts of piracy off the coast of Somalia has more than doubled during the course of 2008, albeit the world's press, other than maritime publications, only really began to sit up and take notice when the VLCC Sirius Star was taken on 15 November. Around a dozen ships and more than 200 seafarers are still being held, according to the International Maritime Bureau and payments so far this year, according to UK think-tank Chatham House, have amounted to anything up to 30 million dollars.

 

In June the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1816,  under which States cooperating with the country’s transitional Government would be allowed, for a period of six months, to enter the territorial waters of Somalia and use “all necessary means” to repress acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea”.  Resolution 1838 adopted on 7 October, goes a little further, in calling upon States interested in the security of maritime activities to deploy naval vessels and military aircraft to actively fight piracy on the high seas off the coast of Somalia.  On 2 December Resolution 1848 was adopted, calling upon states and regional organisations to coordinate their efforts and deploy naval vessels and military aircraft in the fight against piracy and extending for a further 12 months the agreement for states cooperating with the Somali government to enter Somali waters to fight piracy. 

 

On 22 August a multinational coalition established a Maritime Security Patrol Area in support of the IMO’s call for international assistance to discourage attacks on commercial vessels transiting the area and on 08 December the EU NAVFOR ATALANTA became operational.  Ship owners' contact is via secure website at www.mschoa.eu