Most people think that piracy is an antiquated problem without any sort of modern day presence. This is not the case. Unfortunately, maritime piracy is still alive and well in some parts of the world. Most recently, piracy off of the coast of Somalia has drawn widespread media attention.

Widespread Problems Caused by Piracy Near Somalia

In recent years, Somalia has become a high risk area for maritime piracy. This crisis has had a ripple effect, causing problems for the United States as well as the entire global economy. Since 2008, pirates have hijacked 175 vessels and attacked 445 others, kidnapping 3,000 crewmembers from over 40 countries in the process.

in 2012 alone, 6 ships were hijacked. At one point, there were 241 hostages and 10 ships being held by Somali pirates. Although piracy activity around the world has decreased, in this isolated region it is on the rise—and the widespread damage is beginning to cause a ripple effect across the global economy.

List of Ships Attacked by Somali Pirates in 2011

This is a list of the ships attacked by Somali pirates in 2011:

• MV Blida, a cargo ship carrying cement, from Algeria
• MV Leopard, a cargo ship carrying arms and ammunition, from Denmark
• MV Bunga Laurel, a cargo ship carrying lubricating oil and Ethylene dichloride, from Japan
• MV Samho Jewelry, a chemical tanker ship, owned by Norway and operated by South Korea
• MV Hoang Son Sun, a cargo ship carrying cattle feed
• MV Beluga Nomination, a cargo ship
• MV New York Story, a tanker with unknown cargo
• CMA CHM Verdi, a container ship with known cargo, from the Bahamas
• MV Savina Caylyn, an oil tanker, from Italy
• MV Irene SL, an oil tanker, from Greece
• MV Sinin, a bulk carrier, from Malta
• S/V Quest, a private yacht, from the United States
• S/V Ing, a private yacht, from Denmark
• MV Guanabara, an oil tanker, from the Bahamas
• INS Kalpeni, a Car Nicobar class fast attack craft, and INS Khukri, a Khukri class corvette, from India
• MV Sinar Kudus, a cargo ship carrying ferronickel, from Indonesia
• MV Arrilah-I, a bulk carrier carrying aluminum, from Liberia
• MV Rosalia D’Amato, a bulk carrier carrying soy beans, from Italy
• MT Gemini, an oil tanker carrying crude palm oil, from Singapore
• MV Full City, a bulk carrier with unknown cargo, from Panama
• HDMS Esbern Snare (L17), an Absalon class flexible support ship, from Denmark
• MT Fairchem Bogey, an oil tanker
• MT Al Balad, an oil tanker, from Saudi Arabia
• MSC Namibia II, a container ship
• S/V Tribal Cat, a private yacht, from France
• MV Chin Yi Wen, a fishing vessel, from Taiwan

List of Ships Attacked by Somali Pirates as of June 2012

This is a list of the ships attacked to date in the year 2012 by Somali pirates:

• SPS Patino, a replenishment oiler, from Spain
• FV Al-Khaliil, a fishing vessel, from Iran
• MV Leila, a roll-on / roll-off ship, flagged from Panama and owned by a company based in Dubai
• MT Royal Grace, an oil tanker, flagged from Panama and owned by a United Arab Emirates-based company
• MV MSC Oslo, a container ship, flagged from Panama and owned by a Hong Kong-based company
• MV Eglantine, a bulk carrier carrying Brazilian sugar, flagged from Bolivia and owned by an Iran-based company
• MV Smymi, an oil tanker, from Greece

Why Is Piracy in One Area Affecting the Rest of the World?

Shipping lanes have become the most reliable means for people around the world to import and export the goods that they need; for example, food and medicine. With piracy threatening this security, the situation is beginning to look severely problematic. Not only are these attacks threatening the global economy, the dangers that the pirates pose for the crewmembers of these commercial ships are also becoming a very real issue. The lack of government control in the coastal areas in which the Somali pirates operate makes it easy for these individuals to organize their attacks. In response, the United States government has begun to take action to protect its citizens.

How Is the United States Government Addressing the Problem?

Since their efforts began in 2009, when the Obama administration came into office, there have been clear signs of progress as the United States military strives to undermine these attacks. In 2011, the number of successes for the Somali pirates fell to about half, in terms of both the number of ships that they were able to hijack and the number of hostages that they were able to acquire. Although the numbers of both remain at an elevated level, the work that the international community is doing to combat piracy is beginning to yield significant results.

Contact a Maritime Piracy Attorney About Your Case

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a maritime piracy attack, Arnold & Itkin LLP can help. We encourage you to reach out to our team of knowledgeable maritime piracy attorneys in order to discuss your rights and options. Our firm is one of the most knowledgeable in all offshore personal injury matters, so do not hesitate to enlist the help that you will need in order to obtain deserved compensation for your injuries. Contact the firm of Arnold & Itkin today.