Pirates Sail These Seas

We all remember reading tales about pirates when we were kids. Captain Hook and other such swashbuckling characters filled our young minds with wonder and imagination. But pirates are not a fictional creation, nor a thing of the distant past. Yes, right now in our shiny high-tech world, pirates still sail the seas, looting and shooting with reckless abandon - although it’s doubtful they’ll be sporting black eye patches or hobbling on wooden legs.

Most incidents of piracy occur in the Malacca Strait, a 970 kilometer-long passage of water between Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia’s Sumatra peninsula. The strait is the world’s busiest commercial sea lane, hosting more than a quarter of all international cargo shipments. It is estimated that about 900 commercial vessels pass through the strait each day. The Strait links the Indian and Pacific oceans, making it the shortest sea route between China, India, and Indonesia. Japan is also dependent upon the route; over 80% of its oil is shipped via the Malacca Strait.

The Malacca Strait has been dubbed a “pirate’s dream” due to its plethora of shallow reefs, narrow channels and small islands; all of which make it relatively easy for ambush and escape. In recent years piracy along the strait has soared: vessels have been burnt, crew members abducted or killed, and tons of cargo seized. Incidents of armed piracy dropped significantly in the wake of the Indian Ocean tsunami in late December, but that short period of calm appears to have dissipated, with more violent acts of piracy being reported in the past six months. Malaysian Defense Minister Najib Razak recently stated: “The reality is that we need more resources to ensure the level of security in the Straits of Malacca. The only way we do it is to engage the international community, but not at the expense of national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Clearly, the sovereignty issue is a touchy one. Some parts of the strait are in Malaysian waters, others belong to Indonesia or Singapore. Recently, the three countries agreed to begin coordinated air patrols over the strait, hoping that it will help to significantly reduce pirate attacks. There is also increasing concern that ships passing through the strait may become targets for terrorists. And when it comes to “fighting terrorism” its safe to assume that the United States wants a piece of the action. The US has proposed sending troops (why is that always the US response?) to protect the strait, but that idea was strongly rejected by Malaysia and Indonesia. A plan to use private security forces to “escort” commercial vessels through the strait has also been nixed due to concerns about having armed personnel onboard, as well as jurisdictional issues.

In the meantime, expect pirate attacks to continue and the threat of terrorism to cast an ugly cloud over the waters.