Thursday, August 12, 2010
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News and Articles Intertanko called a decision to release seven pirates back to Somalia "a bitter blow to the shipping industry (and to its seafarers) in the global fight against piracy." They had been detained by the Spanish frigate Victoria, which is attached to EU NAVFOR, on August 3, after an attack on the 40,085 dwt Norwegian-flag chemical tanker Bow Saga in the Gulf of Aden Internationally Recognized Transit Corridor.
So what? Why yelling and wailing? Where is bitter blow? Why Intertanko, BIMCO, IMO, ITF and other maritime organizations are so hot in pursuing Somali pirates? Are they naïve enough to believe, that imprisoning of several more Somali pirates would be a real blow to Somali pirates? Don’t they know the nation-wide scale of Somali piracy? That we’re talking not some several hundred hard-core criminals, but a good part of Somali population, more than willing to replace those arrested? Whom prosecution enthusiasts from abovementioned organizations are going to jail, Somali nation? Or maybe, those so-called maritime organizations don’t know, that for many Somalis European jails look like heaven?
Basically speaking, why these organizations are such stubborn supporters of prosecution idea? It’s a well-known fact, that in UN Russian initiative of creating International Tribunal for prosecuting Somali pirates met nothing more than leers, most politicians understand sheer inanity of the idea to prosecute and jail nation, not some strictly limited number of known gangs. But maritime organizations got a new inspiration with this idea after Prosecution Fund was finally, established and got first 10 million dollars from regular donors of about anything, from US and Europe, not mind you, Russia. I wonder who these organizations are, maritime law enforcement, police or still, maritime? I wonder why that shameful campaign “Enough is Enough” started immediately after Fund was established. Campaign is shameful, because this petition is totally fruitless, these “demands” are just declarations. Still, maritime organizations could and should demand something much more realistic from international community, than slogans. For one, they could demand creating a Fund not to prosecute pirates, but to establish service for monitoring and supplying highjacked vessels; to help collect ransom; to cover medical expenses for released crews and to ensure they get proper compensation.
After Prosecution Fund was created, maritime organizations claimed Somali piracy is a long story with no soon or foreseen solution. Is it coincidence? Maritime organizations talk about criminal prosecution and just nothing else, as if every detained pirate will go to jail the rest will simply disappear, as if prosecution is real and the main problem of fighting Somali piracy. Why IMB dents piracy statistics (generally presented to us by the way, in very unsuitable way) in favour of international Navies? Why no one from those who call themselves leaders of world shipping never even tried to ask for some other ways of securing vessels, namely – providing armed military guard to all tranziting vessels?
Answer is simple, because present situation with Somali pirates suits about all involved. Navies – they’re plain happy with these non-stop drills and shows. States and politicians simply don’t mind as long as there’s no serious damage, and all losses lie with directly hit shipowners, shippers and sailors. Maritime organizations long time ago gave up their claimed aims of leading and supporting shipping and seafarers, evolving into pure buerocracy interested in it’s own, and if one judges their antipiracy activities from their personal interests, he’d soon come to conclusion, that real safety of shipping, real help to shipping is the farthest thing in their minds. Actually, by supporting prosecution idea they support Somali piracy, because the more money and human resources are involved in fighting (not eliminating) piracy, the longer it will live.
What’s going on in general? Everybody is happy and no problems left, except fighting emissions and flags of convenience? Look through shipping editions, and you’ll find mostly corporate news, some business analysing, and surge of new regulations prohibiting this and that, giving to national and international authorities more and more power to check and control. You won’t find any criticims, any material where work and results of activities of international maritime organizations are scrutinized. I talk to shipowners and to Masters, nobody sounds happy with the way shipping is going on. Green shipping and pirates’ prosecution are the last things they think of.
Isn’t it time to raise a voice, to look at maritime organizations more closely and ask them what’s it they’re up to, what’s it they’re after, time to analyse them? I’m writing a lot on all themes mentioned here, but in Russian, translating into English is too time-consuming. If there are people and companies of the same opinion and ideas, contact me, I need all kinds of support.
Mikhail Voytenko
