Pirates of the Modern World

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Essentially, it was one of the first international laws, stating that pirates were not given the legal protection of any nation because the nature of their crime was an international one. They were designated Ostis Humani Generis, or the enemy of all mankind. Many of these definitions and precedents helped inform 20th century efforts to draft a true international law against piracy, which were codified in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. This effectively defined the modern pirate, whose activity consisted of any illegal acts of violence, detention, or depredation committed on the high seas outside the jurisdiction of any state, including the act of inciting piracy or voluntary participation in the operation of a pirate ship. Seaborne commerce makes up 80% of world trade, meaning commodities rely on sea vessels to transport their goods between each other. Global shipping is lucrative, leaving cargo ships and ocean platforms vulnerable for hijackers and robbers. While this might inspire stories of black sails and Jolly Rogers, the reality of piracy is very much different, thanks to a number of problems that began to appear over the 20th century. Following the Second World War, the presence of Western European merchant fleets significantly declined, as post-war recovery forced them to divert resources away from supporting their maritime forces. Businessmen also felt the bite of this cost-cutting. To reduce expenses, ship owners who historically relied on tax-heavy countries like the US or Britain instead transferred their registrations to cheaper and more lenient regimes like Panama and Liberia. This practice is known as using flags of convenience, meaning fewer merchant vessels flew Western flags. Consequently, major sea powers lost interest in maintaining extensive naval patrols to protect their merchant vessels against piracy. Advancement in maritime technology has also allowed large cargo vessels to operate with a minimal crew. Some of the largest container ships in the world can hold over 14,000 containers while operating almost autonomously. This leaves only a dozen merchant mariners to keep things in check. However, such a minimal crew makes it far easier for pirate groups to attack them. Working and traveling on the high seas has been a risky venture ever since the age of sail. So why sailors and travelers know to prepare themselves for the unexpected? That's why I recommend the sponsor of today's video, Ethos. Getting insurance has always been a frustrating experience, but Ethos helps people get coverage in minutes instead of weeks by eliminating medical exams and blood tests, making getting life insurance fast, easy, and convenient so you can get back to what matters most, your family. I'm a married business owner in my mid-twenties, but I know that life insurance provides financial protection for my wife and loved ones in their most vulnerable moments. And as a homeowner, having coverage that lasts at least as long as a mortgage can help tremendously should something unexpected happen. Applying is easy and 100% online. No medical exams or blood tests required for coverage up to $2 million. It only took me a few minutes to answer some simple questions about my height, weight, personal and family medical history, habits, and finances and employment. It's also fast. Get a quote in seconds, apply in minutes, and in most cases, get coverage in the same day. Lock in your rate now with Ethos. Scan here or click the link in the description below. Far from the stereotype of amateur swashbucklers, modern pirates are professional career criminals with little remorse for their targets. Professionals chase big money, container ships can be robbed for cash and valuables, while the very ship itself can be stolen as the crew are left adrift in the ocean. In some cases, not even the crew are spared. In 2005 alone, the typical ransom for a hostage could land a pirate between $100,000 to $200,000 U.S. dollars. By 2009, that average had risen to over $2 million U.S. dollars. Worse still, these ransoms were often successful. From their perspective, crime did pay. Not only was this lucrative, but many pirates tended to avoid capture. While the ones who were captured hardly received justice. Prior to the 20th century, piracy was often met with brutal punishments that ended with execution. Nowadays, international law prohibits such capital punishment, meaning pirates that are captured by military or police vessels are often detained for a certain period before being let go. Ironically, it's safer for a pirate ship to be captured than to attempt outrunning or attacking any naval vessels that come for them. The conditions that help piracy flourish aren't all related to opportunity. It's no coincidence that piracy is rampant in parts of the world that suffer from poor development, struggling economies, or political instability. These issues, when compounded, can often be the catalyst for those who are desperate to seek out any means of escaping poverty. One of the most infamous hotspots for modern piracy is the Gulf of Aden, beginning in Somalia and growing out of the illegal fishing incursions that plagued the country. Following several periods of drought in 1974 and 1986, many Somalis were forced to resettle on the coast after losing their livestock. These coastal communities developed into fishing hubs which helped sustain them. By 1991, Somalia was in a state of anarchy due to a civil war, leaving an absence of any navy or coast guard to police the waters. As a result, foreign vessels began to plunder Somali fishing waters, violently clashing with local fishermen for the best catch. Local communities, often led by village chiefs or civil war commanders, began to arm themselves and capture foreign vessels for ransom. Due to the crippling civil war, Somalia was left with the humiliating status of Failed State in 1992, leaving these coastal communities to the leadership of local warlords who could launch profitable raids into the Indian Ocean with impunity. By the turn of the millennium, these attacks grew bolder as Somalia itself slid further into lawlessness. Pirates targeting fishing trawlers expanded their operations, targeting larger cargo and transport ships passing by the Somali coast. The most famous incident involved the hijacking of the container ship Maersk, Alabama on April 8, 2009. Under the command of Captain Richard Phillips, the US-flagged ship was laden with humanitarian aid destined for countries in need, like Somalia and Uganda. With only a crew of 23 Americans, and a hole sitting low in the water, the Alabama was an easy target. While en route from Djibouti to Kenya, Somali pirates launched their attack approximately 300 nautical miles southeast of Ale. Armed with automatic weapons, these pirates boarded the ship early in the morning. Phillips' crew attempted to defend themselves using high-pressure fire hoses and even knives, but the pirates quickly overpowered them. Following protocol, the crew retreated from the main decks and locked themselves away in the engine room, leaving their captain on the bridge to deal with the pirates. Phillips was taken by the pirates, who fled the Maersk, Alabama in one of the ship's lifeboats, initiating a tense standoff as the US Navy caught wind of the situation and closed in on their position. The guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge and other US naval assets arrived at the scene to manage the situation. This soon developed into a hostage negotiation as the pirates demanded a ransom for Phillips' release. Due to the threat on Phillips' life, the Navy opted to neutralize the pirates. On April 12th, Navy SEAL snipers aboard the Bainbridge took simultaneous shots, killing three pirates and rescuing Richard Phillips unharmed. While this incident was perhaps the most televised and recounted, Phillips' ordeal was not the only one. Over 2009 alone, 217 vessels had been attacked by Somali pirates in the waters off the Horn of Africa, with 45 being captured. Twelve of these vessels and 263 hostages were successfully ransomed. By February 2011, Somali pirates held 685 hostages on board 30 hijacked ships. In Western Africa, the Gulf of Guinea remains a hotspot of piracy thanks to similar conditions. Unregulated fishing threatens local fishermen. General unemployment and lack of opportunities among the youth is worsened by weak governments and corruption, leading many in the Gulf of Guinea to pursue piracy against the oil trade as a means to sustain themselves. Since 2005, attacks and robberies in the region had risen, with 2012 seeing a peak of 64 reported incidents. The actual numbers were believed to be much higher, however, as many other incidents went unreported due to fear of reprisals against suspected vessels returning to the Gulf. This fear was not unwarranted, as pirates operating in this region were known to be especially violent. A noted incident in 2006 involved the hijacking of the Russian oil tanker Shkotova, where the pirates attacked the ship with automatic rifles and RPGs before attempting to board it. The size of the area also makes it hard for regional powers to police the waters. Many countries in the region are affected, as pirates establish enclaves all across the Gulf's coastal territories. In Guinea, Benin, and Togo, the presence of pirate enclaves is especially egregious, but Nigeria is the worst affected, with 80% of reported incidents originating either from within Nigeria's borders or from its territorial waters. Outside of Africa, one of the most pirate-infested regions in the world is Southeast Asia, with incidents occurring throughout the seas of South China, Sulu, Celebes, and the Malacca Strait. This area of the world has a legacy of piracy dating back to 2,000 years, but a rise in contemporary attacks drew concerns from the international community due to the threat posed to the numerous shipping lanes that run through the region. Since the late 1970s, Southeast Asia has experienced a mix of ups and downs. A surge of economic growth, thanks to global trade, left political development lagging behind, as large populations have not had access to the newly distributed wealth. In some cases, these populations became unintended victims of this economic development. This is especially true for many of the region's maritime cultures, whose traditional livelihoods have been threatened by modernization. The Asian economic crisis of 1997 significantly worsened existing problems in Southeast Asia. Economic inequality, marginalization, the displacement of people, and the expansion of organized crime were worse than ever before, and all helped to contribute to a resurgence in piracy. A rapid economic downturn due to the interconnected markets and flawed policies especially devastated Indonesia, leading to massive unemployment and high poverty rates. In the Philippines, despite some economic growth, poverty and unemployment rose in areas like the South, causing it to grow into a hub of illegal activity. Since the 2000s, piracy has become a constant presence in Southeast Asia, often expanding in areas where political control has grown weak. While the pirates themselves don't seek to topple state governments, they do seek to challenge their authority on the water, and in turn, reap the benefits of controlling these vital waterways. Much like the African channels, the shipping lanes of Asia provide a fortune regardless of scale. Piracy in Southeast Asia can be categorized by the general scope of their operations, especially when it comes to what kind of targets they're looking for. On one end of the spectrum is small-scale piracy, which is usually spontaneous and less violent, effectively low-risk robberies that yield smaller rewards. On the other end of the spectrum are highly organized, well-connected crime groups who are able to pull off large-scale hijackings without detection. In some instances, high-end pirate groups are closely linked to rogue military units and secessionist movements, which undermine state authority and create opportunities for pirate activities. Smuggling is rampant, especially between Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Southern Philippines. In the Southern Philippines especially, a lawless Wild West environment prevails, with heavily armed smugglers and pirates exploiting the inability to report stolen goods. In contrast to Somali pirates, Asian pirates do not fear the possibility of interdiction, as they travel smaller distances and are able to hide along coastal communities without attracting attention. They also differ in strategy, preferring to steal ships and cargo over hostages. With these stolen vessels, the pirates can then sell them on local spot markets, where the ships are renamed and re-registered, effectively becoming phantom ships with no legal paperwork. That doesn't mean they are any less dangerous, as the crew of captured vessels are often seen as obstacles to be cast aside. One of the most infamous cases of bloody piracy in this region occurred on November 16, 1998. The Cheung Sun, a Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship en route to Port Klang in Malaysia, was transiting off the coast of Taiwan when it caught the sights of a sinister pirate group. Rather than attacking through brute force, these pirates were able to bluff their way on board the ship by disguising themselves as Chinese customs officers, approaching in what appeared to be small customs vessels. The Cheung Sun's captain felt he had little choice but to let them aboard. Heavily armed and outfitted in official uniforms, the pirates were quickly able to gain control of the vessel, with the crew soon realizing what should have been a simple inspection had instead turned into a hostage situation. After holding them hostage for 10 days, the pirates decided to cut their losses and focus on the ship itself. Almost methodically, these pirates bound and gagged all 23 crew members, then brutally bludgeoned them to death before dumping their bodies into the South China Sea. Incidents like these, and others throughout the world, made it clear to the international community that piracy would spiral out of control if not properly addressed. Over the next decade, significant efforts were undertaken to combat this threat, focusing on strengthening international laws, enhancing maritime security practices, and increasing worldwide collaboration. Organizations like the International Maritime Bureau established the 24-hour Piracy Reporting Center to coordinate global responses, while the International Maritime Organization issued guidelines to help enhance maritime security. In 2004, they went a step further, adopting the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code, which mandated security plans for ships to address pirate activity. Best management practices were also introduced in 2010, providing practical counter-piracy measures for the shipping industry, which recommended maintaining high speeds and conducting emergency drills to prevent the success of pirate attacks. Mariners themselves have also implemented a range of passive and active security measures to protect their vessels. Passive defensive measures are designed to deter or delay pirate attacks without the use of force. These include varying the ship's transit route and timing, increasing speed, rigging razor wire along the rails, and using physical barriers such as 55-gallon drums to hinder boarding attempts. Additionally, hanging banners in multiple languages warning pirates that the ship is armed, even if it isn't, can act as a deterrent. Active measures involve the use of force or other aggressive tactics to repel pirates. Non-lethal measures such as long-range acoustic devices, fire hoses, and disabling devices like concertina wire around deck rails are commonly employed. These measures aim to prevent boarding and disrupt pirate operations. However, the use of lethal force such as firearms is heavily regulated and controversial, and the International Maritime Organization strongly discourages employing firearms due to fears of escalating when facing pirates on the water. US interests in anti-piracy saw a resurgence during the War on Terror, starting with the establishment of Combined Task Force 150 in 2002. Initially a US Navy initiative, it quickly became a multinational task force when command was first handed over to Germany in February of that year. CTF-150, operating under the Combined Maritime Forces, continues to protect maritime traffic and combat terrorism at sea, especially in the Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden, and the Indian Ocean. America's goals were further solidified by the 2004 National Strategy for Maritime Security, with the 2005 attack on the seaborne Spirit leading the Pentagon to intensify its focus on counter-piracy. In 2009, NATO launched the seven-year-long Operation Ocean Shield, focused on anti-piracy measures around the Horn of Africa. By 2011, the US adopted the National Military Strategy, identifying piracy as a transnational security concern that required full international cooperation. To counter the persistent threat of piracy, naval forces have adopted a series of defensive measures designed to protect commercial vessels and deter pirate activities. One of the primary defensive measures implemented by naval forces involves the use of patrolled convoy routes, with naval security providing a monitored passage for commercial ships, while also being close enough to respond quickly to any threats. On a tactical level, navy ships employ several strategies when responding to pirate attacks. Surveillance and detection are crucial, with advanced radar, infrared cameras, and maritime early detection systems helping identify potential pirate skiffs at a distance. When engaging pirates, naval forces opt for non-lethal deterrence. However, if the situation escalates, naval ships rely on standard weaponry, such as firearms or even deck guns if the danger is that severe. In some cases, special operation forces often form armed boarding teams, who are then deployed to retake a captured vessel and apprehend its hijackers. These tactics have seen success in the Gulf of Aden, with US and European forces having established coordinated patrols parallel to the Yemeni coastline since 2009. Additionally, joint patrols in the Gulf of Guinea by Nigerian and Beninese forces have been crucial to countering piracy in West Africa. In Southeast Asia, coordinated efforts among several countries in the region have focused on primary hotspots. Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand collaborate on the Malacca Strait Patrols, providing regular maritime and aerial surveillance coupled with rapid responses to any reported pirate activities. Similarly, the trilateral maritime patrols involve Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia conducting maritime security and counterterrorism operations in the Sulu and Celebes seas, effectively reducing incidents of theft, hijacking, and kidnapping for ransom. While the 2010s have seen effective measures to deal with piracy in traditional hotspots, recent years have seen a rise of pirate activity across new regions of the globe. Venezuela has become a new hotspot for piracy, driven largely by the collapse of the country's fishing industry and the nation's broader economic crisis. These pirates engage in various criminal activities such as yacht theft, drug smuggling, and human trafficking all throughout the Venezuelan coastline. Between 2010 to 2017, over 162 incidents were reported, with the most recent reports in 2021 covering 59 incidents. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas War in 2023, acts of piracy by Houthi rebels in Yemen have escalated dramatically. These attacks are mainly focused in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden regions. Houthi rebels, who have been involved in a prolonged conflict in Yemen, have increasingly turned to maritime piracy as a means to exert control and raise funds for their operations. The Houthis have attacked commercial vessels, with rebels hijacking ships, demanding ransoms, and disrupting maritime trade routes critical for global commerce. Yemen itself sits next to the Bab al-Mandam Strait, which is a crucial chokepoint for international shipping, making these acts of piracy especially disruptive. In February of 2024, the U.S. Department of State released a press statement condemning the Houthi activity, claiming that many ships attacked contained food like grain and corn headed for countries in need like Sudan, Ethiopia, and Yemen itself. As a result, international naval forces have had to increase their presence in the region to counter this threat and ensure the safety of maritime routes. Looking ahead into the 2020s, the future of piracy will continue to be shaped by ongoing geopolitics and economic hardships. Regardless of how pirate threats may change, the nature of world commerce means that vessels laden with goods will continue to make for prime targets for any thieves prowling the seas. New hotspots may emerge as global conditions fluctuate, while technological advancements may provide new opportunities for pirates or new countermeasures for maritime security forces in their fight against this enduring crime. Don't forget to check out our website, armchairhistory.tv. We have a lot of exclusive content that we've made and that other creators have made, like our video on India's annexation of Goa, or The Front's video on the Luftwaffe during D-Day. Use the code below for a discount on your first month.