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ENERGY & MARITIME SECURITY The Changing Face of Piracy S John Barnwell, Global Head of Marine, Americas Rich Energy Targets helps to keep Piracy in the Public Spotlight Security T he release of the Captain Phillips movie starring Tom Hanks in October 2013 and the hijacking of two Americans off the coast of Nigeria have brought more public attention to the oldest of all maritime risks: piracy. While piracy has been a concern in the mari- time industry for centuries, a new hotspot has emerged off the coast of West Africa in the Gulf of Guinea. Specifi cally the industry is concerned about attacks occurring in the territorial waters of Benin, Nigeria, Togo and the Ivory Coast. Over the past years, there have been more widespread and violent ac- cidents in this region of the world. In fact, over the summer of 2013, 22 West African states signed a code of conduct regard- ing piracy prevention and armed robbery against ships. United States Navy ships accompanying the EU Naval Force off So- malia have created an effective ‘international recommended transit corridor.’ Several West African leaders are calling for a similar fl oating police force in the Gulf of Guinea, one of the most active oil transport and energy hubs in the world today. At the same time, shipping companies are continuing to report piracy incidents in the Gulf of Aden and the Strait of Malacca in Southeast Asia. Piracy attacks have dropped signifi cantly off the coast of Somalia due to various factors, including active military action, land-based anti-piracy interventions and the increasing use of armed guards on board of ships. However, Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS), a leading marine insurer, main- tains that this region is still far from safe from pirate attacks. The industry sometimes likens the issue of piracy to a game of ‘whack-a-mole’. Once one area quiets down a little, there is another hotspot emerging. So overall, it continues to be of great concern to our clients and with that to us. Changing business models of pirates Types of piracy in different regions of the world vary. This is important since the management best practices issued by the International Maritime Organization are still focused on the type of piracy that prevailed off the coast of Somalia. Differ- ent types of piracy include: Opportunistic armed robbery occurs when a vessel is approaching or anchored off ports or when ship-to-ship 24 | Maritime Professional | 1Q 2014 MP Q1 2014 18-33.indd 24 2/26/2014 1:59:57 PM
