December 2012 After nearly three years in captivity, the crew of the MV Iceberg I was finally freed after a heroic rescue from the Puntland Maritime Police Force. This security body, loyal to the semi-autonomous region of Somalia, Puntland, has been a key player in the internal battle against Somali pirates. Often referred to by their acronym, the […]
Don’t Pay the Pirates
A special Piracy Ransom Task Force based in the United Kingdom recently recommended that the shipping industry cease paying ransoms to pirates after they hijack ships. Since the piracy epidemic began in 2008, the task force estimates that over $300 million USD in ransoms has been paid to various groups of Somali pirates. These recommendations […]