1. Threat of Piracy and Response Initiatives
CAPT Steven D. Poulin
Chief, Office of Maritime & International Law

2. Piracy Defined
“…any illegal acts of violence, detention, or… depredation committed for private ends by the crew or the passengers of a private ship…directed on the high seas against another ship…or against persons or property on board such ship…or committed against a ship…persons, or property in a place outside the jurisdiction of any state.” [emphasis added]
- Article 101, United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS Convention)

3. Current Situation Key Factors: Sanctuary Proximity
As of February 2011, 685 mariners aboard 30 ships were being held for ransom
Key Factors:
Sanctuary
Proximity
Capability/Technology

4. 2010 Piracy and Armed Robbery Statistics
From the International Maritime Bureau:
Attacks reported: 445
Geographic breakdown
SE Asia – 70
Far East – 44
Indian Subcontinent – 28
South America – 40
Africa – 259
Other – 4
Related to Somali Piracy:
Red Sea – 25
Gulf of Aden – 53
Somalia – 139
** 107 ships were fired upon in 2010, 96 of which were in the Gulf of Aden or off Somalia

5. 2010 Piracy and Armed Robbery Statistics

6. Trends in Piracy off the Horn of Africa
GAO analysis of International Maritime Bureau
Hostages taken 2007 – 163
2008 – 815
2009 – 867
Success rates (as a percentage of attempts)
2007 – 36%
2008 – 39%
2009 – 22%
2010 – 30%
Use of “mother ships” to extend reach
10% increase in attacks
Taking greater risks and demanding higher ransoms

7. Economic Costs of Piracy
Study: The Economic Costs of Maritime Piracy, One Earth
Future Working paper, December 2010:
Annual cost to international
economy: $7 to $12 billion per year
Ransoms
Payment in $177 million
Payments in $238 million
Average payment in $5.4 million
Security Costs
Per ship transit - $134,000
Annual cost - $363 million - $2.5 billion
Costs of re-routing
Annual cost - $3 billion
Adds 2,700 miles to transit
Insurance
Excess cost of insurance: $460 million - $3.2 billion
Other costs
Ship delay
Impact on fishing and tourism in region

8. U.S. Legal and Policy Framework
- Some relevant criminal statutes
18 U.S.C. § 1651 (Piracy Under Law of Nations)
Whoever, on the high seas, commits the crime of piracy as defined by the law of nations, and is afterwards brought into or found in the United States, shall be imprisoned for life.
18 U.S.C. § 1659 (Attack to Plunder Vessel)
18 U.S.C. § 2280 (Violence Against Maritime Navigation)
18 U.S.C. §1201 (Kidnapping)
18 U.S.C. § 1203 (Hostage taking)
18 U.S.C. § 371 (Conspiracy)
- Convictions
Surviving Somali crewmember from the Maersk Alabama attack pled guilty to hijacking, hostage taking, kidnapping, and conspiracy; sentenced in February 2011 to 33 years and 9 months in prison
Five pirates convicted of attacking USS Nicholas sentenced in March 2011 to life imprisonment plus 80 years (first piracy case to go to trial since the Civil War, and the first U.S. conviction for piracy since 1819)
14 (13 Somali and 1 Yemeni) charged with piracy, kidnapping and weapons offenses in S/V Quest attack

9. U.S. Legal and Policy Framework
U.S. Piracy Policy (Addendum to the National Strategy for Maritime Security), 2007
Executive Order (signed April 12, 2010)
“I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, find that the deterioration of the security situation and the persistence of violence in Somalia constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat.”  [emphasis added]
National Security Council Partnership and Action Plan for Countering Piracy
USCG MARSEC Directive Supported by Port Security Advisories (PSA)
PSA 2-09 (Rev. 3): Non-SSI version of MARSEC Directive 104-6
PSA 3-09: Guidance on Self-Defense and Defense of Other U.S. Vessels
PSA 4-09: International Traffic in Arms Regulations
PSA 5-09: Minimum Guidelines for Contracted Security Services in HRW
PSA 6-09: Procedures for a Named-based Terrorism Check for Security Personnel
PSA 8-09: Port State Response to Request for Information Regarding Carriage and Transport of Self-Defense Weapons Aboard U.S. Commercial Vessels
PSA 9-09: Expected Courses of Action Following Attacks by Pirates in the Horn of Africa
PSA (Rev. 1): Supplementary Guidance on Antipiracy Defensive Measures for U.S. flagged vessels operating in High Risk Waters

10. International Response
Various UN Security Council Resolutions: Over the past three years, there have been seven UN Security Council Resolutions on piracy.
Combined Task Force (CTF) 151
Maritime Security Centre Horn of Africa (MCHOA)
United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization (UKMTO)
International Maritime Organization (IMO)
International Ship and Port Facility Security Code
Best Management Practice Circulars and Resolutions
Code of Practice for the Investigation of Crimes of Piracy and Armed
Robbery Against Ships
Djibouti Code of Conduct
UN Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia - WG 1: Military and Operational Coordination - WG 2: Judicial Issues - WG 3: Strengthening Shipping Self-Awareness Best Management Practices (BMP 3) - WG 4: Public Information - WG 5 (Possibly): Illicit Transnational Financial Flows

11. Maritime Operational Threat Response (MOTR)
Ensures national level coordination for emerging maritime threats
Supporting plan to National Strategy for Maritime Security
Sets lead and supporting Federal agency roles
- Existing law
- Desired U.S. outcome - Potential magnitude of threat - Response capabilities
- Asset availability - Authority to act
Global MOTR Coordination Center (GMCC)