The Somali pirates are at it again, apparently taking advantage of good weather, and lackluster protection provided by international naval forces.  In the past 2 days, two European owned tankers have been seized by Somali pirates. AFP provides the following details – The Maritime Security Centre run by the EU naval force said that the [...]

Well, I know it has been some time since my last post, and I apologize for going from a fairly current blog to one with stale posts, but life got busy.  Things are returning to normal, and I hope to be back into the swing of things here shortly. During my hiatus, a lot has [...]

Yes.  Hard to believe, but true.  In an attempt that clearly demonstrates the boldness of the Somalian pirates, the USNS John Lenthall, a fleet oiler, was forced to fire warning shots to repel suspected pirates.  This clearly emphasized the need for an even greater naval presence in the area to counter the drastic increase in [...]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYGXzHrNH18] Add a French yacht and an Egyptian cargo ship to the list of approximately 10 vessels that are now being held hostage by pirates off the coast of Somalia.  The French vessel is a sail boat with 3 people on board, and the Egyptian ship has a crew of 25.  The Egyptian vessel, the [...]

For many in the U.S. and other modern and prosperous countries, the reaction to the news of modern pirates attacking merchant ships large and small in remote corners of the globe is part disbelief, and part an exotic story from a far away land.  For Merchant Mariners who carry the goods and commodities that make [...]