Doom and Gloom

The IMO has outlined four “nightmare scenarios” unless tougher action was taken against Somali pirates.

With attacks now possible in the Indian Ocean regardless of the weather, there is not even the traditional lull, during the summer and winter monsoons — which roughly run May to September and November to February — as stormy weather made it difficult for attackers to operate their frail vessels.

Mr Mitropoulos, Secretary-General of the IMO said that pirates can no operate “365 days a year.” The four doom laden IMO prophesies are that crews could refuse to cross the Indian Ocean, crude oil shipments could be diverted, there could be a huge oil spill or a large cruise ship could be seized, he said.

Somali pirates are using oil tankers and other huge ships they have captured as ‘mother ships’ from which they launch attacks far further out to sea than before.