As the defence budgets are cut, anti-piracy operations are being hard hit. The US could be the latest country to cut anti-piracy spending, meaning a further reduction to the forces patrolling the area around Somalia. Thatโs according to Typhon, a company planning anti-pirate patrols.
Although there has been a recent decline in attacks, it is estimated that 40 per cent of this decline can be attributed to the presence of warships that have previously been contributed by countries including the US and UK, according to the firm.
Ant Sharp, CEO of Typhon said: โTake away the deterrent and the problem will return. While some claim there has been a reduction in piracy in recent years; pirates are opportunists, and any that have previously been deterred will soon see opportunity renewed as deterrents disappear.โ
The firm points to reports that illegal overfishing from other foreign fishermen is endangering the livelihoods of fishermen in Nigeria and Senegal.
โTheir complaints are strikingly similar to those voiced by Somaliaโs shortly before the boom in piracy. What starts as a defence of their livelihoods can quickly escalate into piracy as impoverished fishermen seek a living. If this pattern is repeated we could see an expansion of pirate hotspots to include the West Coast of Africa, an area that currently has no UK, EUNAVFOR or US Naval presence.โ
Ant added: โWe continue to see regular acts of piracy even at a time when the levels are considered low. With ships still carrying 90 per cent of the worldโs cargo, including essential commodities like oil and gas, the void left by the cuts must be filled. Typhonโs convoy service offers a replacement for the service being withdrawn due to cutbacks, and also offers services including offshore rig and port protection.โ
