Until recently I have passed through the Gulf Of Aden many times, on general cargo, VLCCs and, over the last 25 years, on harbour tugs and supply vessels when delivering them. I remember reading in the Pilot Book for the area in the 60s that the island of Socotra was filled with "vagabonds, theives and pirates". Piracy around the world is not new, it's been a threat in many places around the world during my time at sea and before. What is new however is that it is, in GOA, organised. It's big money. The pirates have backers and intelligence. The participating navies are hamstrung by rules of engagement. A recent TV program about the navy's roll in GOA left me feeling ashamed I'd ever served in the RN, but because I had served I knew what I had seen couldn't be so. We continued to go through the GOA but I cannot descibe how we felt before and during the transit. A Dutch shipmate described it as a large stone in his belly. When a regular shipmate and friend was taken on a Svitzer tug outward bound from The Red Sea to the Far East my attitude hardened. The convoy system wasn't working well enough for me so I decided not to do those jobs any more. When one of the companys that uses me called about delivering a supply boat from Hongkong to The Sea of Asov in the Black Sea, I refused because of the security issues. The company said they agreed with me and that as going via Capetown was unreasonable they and the principal would supply armed guards (ex Brit Paras) from Salalah, Oman to the Red sea. So I did the passage as far as Salalah. (In those days the pirates were not operating from Oman to India so this bit was considered safe). On arrival Salalah three Paras turned up. They were unarmed but had body armour for themselves. They hardened the ship with grease, razor wire, barricades wire mesh pre-detonating sheets and locks. They trained us and organised us but more than that, they gave us the confidence to go through with the voyage. However they intended to leave the vessel in Djibuti. I'd never heard anything more stupid in my life so told the company the ship didn't move until the paras accompanied us into the Red Sea. This was agreed and we did the voyage with the Paras on board all the way to Suez. We were attacked in the convoy area but the hardening and 6000 tonnes per hour fire monitors on 30 second notice secured our safety. The paras were not armed because Egypt would not permit it. In fact later they even banned body armour and helmets. Seems silly because Egypt was losing revenue from the canal as many ships were going around the Cape. Since that voyage I have always refused those jobs unless I can go round the Cape. The pirates are now operating down as far as Madagascar so I go through the Sunda Strait, then head south to 20 S, to pick up the SE trades, then across south of Mauritius, Reunion and Madagascar meeting the South African coast at Cape Recife. This adds about 17 days onto a voyage to Europe compared with using Suez. I personally don't think a private navy will be much use. I do believe properly armed guards on board will.
Jerry.