Welcome to Boat Chat
Boat Chat has been running since September 2023 and this is the first edition to be shared on LinkedIn. Boat Chat's mission is to:
'Help People Understand Boats Better'
The idea for Boat Chat grew out of the blogs, LinkedIn posts and YouTube videos we were already making and aims to tie this multi-platform content together. ?In a world full of noise, Boat Chat aims to make it easier to get the maritime content you need in one place.
Every issue takes a look at maritime news stories of interest and asks what they might mean for boat owners and crew. ?It also offers maintenance advice, surveying tips, product reviews and plenty of other boat related stuff.
Find out more about Boat Chat here.
Maritime News
US Navy ship rescues chemical tanker from Somali pirate attack?
The guided missile destroyer USS Mason came to the rescue of MV Central Park in November after it had been boarded by five pirates in the Gulf of Aden.? The 12,000 ton ship was reported to be carrying a cargo of phosphoric acid at the time of the attack.
On closing with the vessel the USS Mason demanded the pirates surrender, which forced them to attempt to escape in the small craft from which they boarded Central Park.? The pirates were chased and later arrested by crew from USS Mason.? On questioning the pirates were confirmed to be from Somalia.? The crew were unharmed.
IMB Report Shows Piracy On The Rise
The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reported a 10% global increase in piracy activity against shipping during 2023 reversing a trend that had seen activity reach modern lows. ?Most of the attacks are believed to have been opportunistic but with an especially alarming rise in the number of crew being taken hostage in these incidents.? Most at risk were bulkers, which accounted for 40 of the vessels attacked, but tankers and container ships were also targeted as were smaller vessels including commercial fishing boats.
The IMB noted the increasingly violent nature of some of the attacks. For example, in April 2023 the Singapore-flagged product tanker?MT Success 9?was?attacked?around 307 nm south-southwest of Abidjan, Ivory Coast. ?The vessel was boarded by twelve pirates wearing ski masks and gloves and armed with guns. ?The crew was restrained with cable ties and kept hostage as part of the oil cargo was stolen. Before leaving the vessel, the pirates also destroyed the tanker’s navigational equipment.?
Boat Chat Focus – Piracy On the Rise
The rise of piracy in several hot spots around the world comes on the back of a worsening global security outlook and a cost of living crisis being felt by many nations.?? Attacks recorded in 2023 by the IMB were up by 10% on 2022 totals but still stand at less than 25% of the level recorded in 2000.? Big ships remain the primary targets for pirates looking to steal cargo, resources and hold crew hostage for ransom payments.
The ambition, tactics and professionalism of modern pirates has increased and any large vessel targeted by pirates has a less than 50% chance of escaping unscathed.? Many large modern ships operate with very small crews and have limited options for self-defence.? Many crews are reported to deploy anti-boarding measures such as razor wire and deck spikes, whilst some look to private companies to provide a military style enhancement on passage through high piracy areas.
The current situation is further complicated by the Iranian government backing some of the rebel groups that operate in the Red Sea region.? It remains a high piracy risk for shipping transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait from the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea.
Readers of a certain age may recall the tragic death of round the world sailor Malcolm Robertson in Thailand in 2012, bludgeoned to death by pirates trying to steal the dinghy from his 44 foot yacht.?
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Or that of Sir Peter Blake, five-time Whitbread Round The World Race sailor and double America's Cup winner, shot by thieves who boarded his vessel in Brazil in 2001.? Piracy is nothing new and has been a plague on the waves for centuries.
Piracy is rightly, and thankfully, not a concern for the vast majority of small craft sailors rarely venturing beyond European waters.? For those with wider ambitions and for the globetrotting crews of big ships and superyachts, it deserves some thought.? There is plenty of advice accessible online for crews of all size of vessels but there are a few thoughts that might feature in the planning of all crews.
The most demanding question is whether the crew should consider fighting back.? Any response to a pirate attack runs the risk of escalation and as most pirates arrive armed this increases the risk of shots being fired.?Conventional non-lethal forms of response include using water fire hoses to dissuade boarders and swamp small craft, sonic and electromagnetic weapons (often called ‘pain rays’), laser dazzle weapons and stun grenades.? Semi-lethal options include Molotov cocktails and rubber ball grenades and finally there are numerous fully lethal options involving small calibre weapons of varying range and lethality.
Large vessel crews often enjoy a meaningful height advantage (higher ground) over the pirates and have superior all-weather surveillance capabilities. However, for small craft sailors the time available to detect, engage and dissuade the pirates is typically much less and quick thinking is needed.? Better still; preparation and a little deception can bring meaningful results and reduce the risk of violence.? For sailors uncomfortable with carrying weapons here are a few tried and tested suggestions:
If you have experience of crewing a vessel in a piracy hot zone, what would you add to this list? Share your thoughts in the comments....
Surveyor’s Top Tips
Piracy and the risk of hostile boarding will probably not feature high in the minds of many boat buyers. ?That said, petty theft can be pretty aggressive and seem like the same thing!
There are some simple observations that the diligent surveyor might wish to pass onto their Clients to help them think about security in general and the risk of boarding in particular.
Where Can I Get More Boat Chat?
This LinkedIn newsletter is an abridged version of the full Boat Chat newsletter on Beehiiv which has product reviews, other platform content, links to further reading and takes a look at the funny side of maritime life. Read the full version here.
Boat Chat has been running since September 2023 and is published on the first and third Saturdays of the month. In months with an extra fifth Saturday a special 'Blue Moon' edition is published which takes a different path.
Subscribers get the full version of Boat Chat in their email inbox every other Saturday morning. You can subscribe and access all of the past issues on the fabulous Beehiiv newsletter platform here: https://boatchat.beehiiv.com
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Stay safe out there, wishing you all fair winds and following seas.