Is this the tale of a simple miscommunication, confusion in a crisis, or something more? Somebody might have an extra $30,000 stashed away….apparently the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is investigating the whereabouts of $30,000  in cash that was reportedly given to the pirates aboard the Maersk Alabama as part of a failed deal by [...]

Things are heating up around North Korea.  Not only has the most recent nuclear test raised the eyebrows of many around the world, but so has North Korea’s reaction to the proposed interdiction of North Korean ships to counter nuclear proliferation under the U.S. led Proliferation Security Initiative. North Korea intensified its threats against South [...]

I came across this last night while watching “Shadow Forces” on the History Channel. Are social privateers going to be the solution to some of the most dangerous threats on the high seas today? Here I was watching a rag tag group of ex-military/special forces, a few brave soles, and a rusty West African fishing boat performing fisheries enforcement boardings off the coast of Liberia, and performing them successfully too! I was blown away.

The news is streaming across all parts of the media now, so I figured I’d close the loop here at the Maritime as well.  CNN has reported that Capt. Phillips is free, and on board a U.S. Navy warship.  Apparently he jumped into the water, while a Navy Seal team shot and killed 3 of [...]

An update from overnight.  It appears Capt. Phillips attempted to escape the lifeboat by swimming sometime overnight, but was re-captured by the pirates.  Some sources are saying that weapons were fired in order to re-capture Phillips, but the Navy is confirming that Phillips remains unharmed. I’m seeing a very troubling report coming across the news [...]