One of the biggest challenges for the maritime industry in 2011 will be in the area of maritime security, particularly piracy and terrorism. Since the September 11 terror attacks in the United States, ships and waterfront facilities have implemented security programs in compliance with international and domestic requirements. In theory, these ships and facilities should now be relatively secure. Theory and reality seldom converge, however.
Maritime piracy has been a problem for the past 10 years or more, and become a significant problem off the coast of Somalia. After numerous industry pleas, various governments assigned warships to patrol these waters. The Indian Ocean is huge, however, and there will never be sufficient warships to provide complete protection. Thus, until the root causes in Somalia are addressed, shipowners and operators must themselves reduce the risk of being hijacked.
This is not rocket science, and many risk-reduction measures are inexpensive. They have been collected in the best management practices developed by industry associations and endorsed by the International Maritime Organization and various governments. The mystery is why the owners and operators of many ships transiting pirate-infested waters have yet to adopt these measures.
In October 2002, terrorists attacked the tanker Limburg off Yemen, killing one crewmember and setting the ship afire. On July 28, 2010, the tanker M Star suffered a similar attack while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, causing a minor injury and moderate damage to the ship. It serves as a reminder, however, that ships remain soft targets for terrorists.
The risks presented by piracy and terrorism can be significantly reduced through adoption of robust security programs and best practices. When you live in a dangerous neighborhood, after all, you must take precautions.