Facing up to Pirates

Saudi Arabia has decided that it needs to play its fair role in confronting international piracy, particularly after the hijacking of Sirius Star, the Saudi-owned supertanker seized over the weekend. The tanker, which holds 1/4 of one day’s production of Saudi oil is being held off the coast of Somalia.

While Saudi Arabia’s Navy is small, it does have ‘blue water’ capabilities. It can take part in anti-piracy patrols and is sufficiently armed to sink any pirate vessel, from attack boats to ‘mother ships’ from which they descend. The Saudi Navy is probably not large enough to do port-to-port escort duty, even for only the super-est of tankers, but might manage shorter escorts, through particularly dangerous waters. It might also be used in the Gulf of Aden, where most (but not this) hijackings occur, if only to release other vessels to do longer ranged patrols.

The Saudi Coast Guard is really not competent to take on these kinds of duties. Its role is different, largely protecting the coasts, ensuring boat safety in Saudi waters, and limited anti-smuggling activities.

The new Saudi assertiveness (which surprises and dismays commenter Chucho to some extent) is pretty hot. Arab News, in an editorial, does call for attacks on the port cities of Somalia that are hosting the pirate fleets. And yes, ‘collateral damage’ is always a possibility when military action is taken. I don’t see any way to get around that. But perhaps if Arab armed forces were required to face up to that reality, it might change some of the overblown rhetoric about other unintended casualties in other wars.

After Hijacking, Saudi Foreign Minister Says Nation
Will Join Anti-Piracy Efforts
Faiza Saleh Ambah

JIDDAH, Saudi Arabia, Nov. 18 — Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister on Tuesday condemned the hijacking of a Saudi supertanker carrying $100 million in crude oil, calling piracy “a disease that has to be eradicated.”

The 1,080-foot Sirius Star was seized by Somali pirates Saturday off East Africa. Its owner, Vela International, said the tanker is thought to be anchored off the coast of Somalia.

Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said his country would join international efforts to battle piracy, which has surged to levels unseen in modern times.
…

The Indian Navy is claiming success in sinking a pirate ‘mother ship’ in the Gulf of Aden. According to this Associated Press report (I’ve seen it datelined as coming from both Nairobi and New Delhi), the frigate INS Tabar engaged a pirate ship after it refused to halt for boarding and inspection (a permitted demand under the new UN resolution) and started firing upon the Indian Navy’s ship. The frigate returned fire, sinking the ship and chasing off two smaller attack boats.

Indian navy sinks suspected pirate “mother” ship

(NAIROBI, Kenya) An Indian naval vessel sank a suspected pirate “mother ship” in the Gulf of Aden and chased two attack boats into the night, officials said Wednesday, yet more violence in the lawless seas where brigands are becoming bolder and more violent.

Separate bands of pirates also seized a Thai ship with 16 crew members and an Iranian cargo vessel with a crew of 25 in the Gulf of Aden, where Somalia-based pirates appear to be attacking ships at will, said Noel Choong of the International Maritime Bureau’s piracy reporting center in Malaysia.

“It’s getting out of control,” Choong said.

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