How Modern Pirates Rule the Sea with Terror

The first picture that comes to your mind when you think of pirates is cool people who know nothing more than the sea, beer and women. Ask any kid who has watched Pirates of the Caribbean and they would probably tell you they want to be a pirate when they grow up.

Romanticism in piracy is only a thing of the movies and the novels though; out there it is real terror. From Sumatra to Somalia piracy is not a lovable trait to possess. In fact world governments are ready to spend a fortune to crush the vice. Modern pirates are ruthless people who prey on weak crews and rob them or hold them for ransom.

Cargo ships and fishing vessels are high targets of the pirates. While cargo may not be of much interest unless one has ready markets, the money that crews carry for exorbitant port fees is. Ransom money that is paid by governments or relatives of the captives is also an attraction to the trade.

Ships can also be stolen, repainted for new identities and ownership changed through fake papers. In such case pirates usually attack a vessel armed with guns, grenades or even rocket launchers. They then leave the hapless crew on a speed boat or canoe or even marooned in some island.

Most pirates attack ships when they slow down to navigate narrow straits. A good example of this is the Strait of Malacca a narrow stretch of waters that spans from western Malaysia to the Indonesian island of Sumatra. When ships slow down, they can easily be overtaken and captured by the use of speed motor boats. 

Piracy in Somalia escalated between 2008 and 2012. Accounts of survivors revealed that these pirates were indeed more dangerous than the ones that we read in history books. They had larger and more sophisticated weapons and considering the lack of a good government ashore, their activities went largely unchecked. Prosecuting the pirates was also very hard and a situation known as Law-Enforcement Vacuum created perfect conditions for the illegal trade to thrive.

Modern piracy is no different from the past in that motives are the same, gaining of goods or valuables that one doesn’t own.

How Modern Pirates Work

Modern pirates might sound like real heroes from a romantic book; however they are very far from that.They are responsible for a large number of ship attacks. The most dangerous places to operate due to pirates include Somalia, Indonesia and Bangladesh. These pirates attack cargo ships, tankers and container ships. They can then share the loot or ask for ransom.

Some of the reasons for modern piracy include:

• The economic conditions of pirate prone areas encourage thriving of the illegal trade. In addition lack of a proper government in some areas like Somalia promotes illegal activities.
• Due to delays in operations, some ship masters are not so keen on reporting pirate attacks. This encourages the trade as no action is taken on existing pirates.
• Some ships have small crews to save on money and expenses. This however makes them prone to pirate attacks.

The methods of attacking ships have not changed much since the Golden age of piracy. Most pirates will attack a ship at night from the stern. By using grappling hooks, ropes or even hooks one pole they will gain access to the ship without raising an alarm. 

They are not just after the goods as many people might think. Apparently, goods are a lower target as they would require ready markets to sell. Money, personal valuables like jewelry, electronics are high up a pirates list. Sometimes modern pirates will hold a ship and request ransom from companies or governments which the crew belong.

Most ship attacks appear near the shore. Pirates use speed boats to get access to sea going vessels. In the event pirates attack a vessel in the high seas, the normally use a smaller ship. Canoes can also be used for vessels that are very near the shore.

Heavy weaponry is usually used by the pirates. Guns, knives, grenades and rocket launchers are just some of the weapons that crew are threatened with. Marooning as well as assault can be used for achieving faster results. Modern technology like communication equipment is also used to determine which ships are vulnerable and also in asking for ransoms.

Unlike their predecessors in the Golden age of piracy, modern pirates operate from dry land and will only go to sea poised for an attack. They usually have ready markets for the loots and ports where goods can be smuggled without government checks.