It’s high time to assess the piracy risks not only in Africa, but anywhere in the World Ocean, because criminals of all flags and races already found out the evident - merchant vessels are absolutely defenceless and vulnerable to attacks, hijacks and robbery. Floating warehouses full of goods worth millions, tens of millions, hundreds of millions dollars move around without any protection at all, except the height of freeboard and the speed. Shipping needs some radical change of security problem approach.

Legalize the arms!

The legalization of light firearms on board of merchant vessels must be made a special issue, subject to thorough investigation and public discussion. If the main body of the shipping will vote for the legalization of the arms on board, then, all the major maritime organizations with IMO on top, must abide, and act accordingly.

Stop the All-Africa piracy and violence!

1. All the major maritime organizations with IMO on top, during the year 2012, should come up with realistic, viable and scheduled solution or solutions of the problem of All-Africa piracy and violence.
2. All the plans they work out, should be discussed in public via internet, should be voted for, and by voting, either accepted or declined, by the main body of the shipping – by seafarers and shipowners, not by the heads of the maritime organizations.

Stop the “Somali piracy” scam!

1. Change the strategy of “Fighting the piracy” with “Protecting from piracy”.
2. Establish multinational military force for providing each passing dangerous waters vessel with military team.
3. Establish Victims of Piracy (VIP) Fund, with two main objectives: monetary compensation to all the seafarers who underwent piracy captivity, and help to all present and future victims, including shipowners. Monetary compensation is to be recognized as a symbol of national and international community’s responsibility for failing to protect shipping, it must be a substantial one-time payment to each victim, with the starting sum of $50,000 and up, depending on the time of the captivity of person to be compensated.

All who agree with the above are invited to sign it. If and when the campaign collects one thousand signatures, protest will be sent to UN, IMO, The Round Table organizations, ITF and world major media (except of course, industry media, those faithful servants of shipping typhoons and politicians). With each new thousand, new Protest letter will be sent, till at last, they’ll have to recognize the reality.