Master mariner, Captain Jim Staples shares his views on going to sea, shipboard security, and what the modern mariner's life is like. ...
When New York Times journalist Ian Urbina first approached me about a story on pirates I have to admit I was reluctant to talk with him. Yes, it was the New York Times, so it was an offer that I couldn't just ignore, but so...
Has piracy been defeated? Unless you read maritime related publications, which keep close watch on piracy activity around the globe, you might think the pirates are gone. Quite the contrary is true. According to the International Chamber of Commerce International Maritime Bureau (IMB), which serves as...
In 2009 Captain Richard Phillips, a long-time Masters, Mates, & Pilots member, fought for his life against Somali pirates for five days off the coast of Somalia. Captain Phillips and his crew aboard the Maersk Alabama survived the hijacking ordeal and the pirates did not. ...
This Bloomberg Businessweek article details the advent of convoys-for-hire as a new protective service for merchant vessels transiting the High Risk Area off the coast of Somalia. This new service brings to mind a few serious concerns. The primary concern is one of jurisdiction. Who will...
There are a few human reactions you can assume to be fairly consistent. Greed, fear, and denial top my list. Somali piracy is pure greed while the reaction by the international community to piracy is a varying combination of denial and fear. At some point...
The worst sort of enemy to fight against is one who has nothing to lose. We have seen that repeatedly with terrorists who strap themselves with explosives and sacrifice their lives for the cause of Allah. Of course, terrorists generally are motivated by ideology. In...