Much of what we consume today
travels by sea, and some of that transport is through
regions where pirates prey. Reporters, victims,
researchers, and historians document the majority of
modern piracy accounts, but this book examines the
problem from the perspective of a ship’s master (the
captain). Prior to commanding his first vessel in 1983,
Corbett served in the Royal Marine Commandoes and has
twice come close to becoming a victim of modern pirates. His perspective is unique and
informative.
Every Master of a ship transiting pirate
infested areas is aware of the risk and of the
consequence of a pirate attack. However many still
remain ill prepared…. (p10)
To combat this lack of
preparedness, the author provides readers with usable
and worthwhile ways to prepare for the inevitable attack
in a manner that is clear, concise, and effective
without costing a lot of money. He defines piracy,
encapsulates piratical history, examines various regions
of the world’s seas where piracy has been or is a
problem, and presents a hierarchy of causes to help
readers understand why pirates do what they do. He also explains flags of
convenience and their potential to endanger ship
security. He summarizes the
various types of piracy, how to assess a ship’s risk –
including the various tactics pirates employ to gain
control of targeted vessels – and ways to respond. While
the principal goal is to provide low-cost alternatives
to lessen the risk, he includes high tech solutions as
well.
Corbett also includes interviews,
including one from a Somali pirate, and appendices
covering conventions and transiting the Gulf of Aden.
The better we understand pirates and the
better prepared we are to deal with a pirate attack
the better equipped we will be to deal with it.
(page 44)
This quote best sums up what this
book does. It provides practical, hands-on ways for ship
masters to protect their crews, ships, and cargoes to
lessen the chances of being attacked by pirates, and, if
captured, what to do to survive. Perhaps of key interest
to landlubbers is Corbett’s ability to put into
perspective how severe the problem is in relationship to
the vastness of our oceans and the smallness of the
world’s nations and their territorial waters. A Modern Plague of Pirates is a truly
eye-opening account of the problem of modern piracy with
ways the people most likely to experience an attack can
do something to combat it.
Pirates
and Privateers
