Modern Maritime Piracy ... Movies and books have romanticized the idea of classic Piracy ... However, 21st Century Pirates are Everything but Romantic ... In 2005 Nearly 300 Ships and their crews were victimized by Pirate Attacks ... And, This is Down From the Peak of Nearly 450 Acts of Piracy in 2003 ... Most of these attacks took place off the coast of ... Indonesia, Somalia and Bangladesh ... Authorities also report that ... Iraq has Become a New Piracy Hotspot ... The most common targets for 21st Century pirates are cargo ships, tankers and container ships. The ships are most vulnerable when they are berthed or anchored ... Piracy has Flourished During the Last Few Years for the Following Reasons ... 1 ... Economic conditions in piracy-prone areas have caused some Pirate captains to resort to illegal activities ... 2 ... These conditions have also prevented some governments from being able to respond quickly to reports of Pirate activities ... 3 ... Some sailors have been reluctant to report Pirate attacks, since reporting procedures can lead to delays and higher expenses ... 4 ... In some cases, Captains have questioned the integrity and the efficiency of local authorities ... 5 ... Shipping companies have staffed ships with an insufficient number of experienced look outs ... 6 ... This Results in less frequent watchstanding practices that inhibit the crew's ability to quickly respond to threats ... 21st Century Pirates use Some of the Same Tactics That Were Used During the Golden Age of Pirates ... They often attack ships from astern at night, using boat hooks and strong lines to board the ship before anyone can raises the alarm ... But, 21st Century Pirates ... Aren't always after a ship's cargo,because selling large amounts of goods requires access to markets, and most markets will not accept stolen goods ... Instead, Modern Pirates Take the Captured Crew's Personal Valuables Such as Electronic Items and Other Supplies ... In addition, some merchant ships keep large amounts of money in a safe so they can purchase needed supplies and to compensate for different exchange rates at International ports ... A Ship's Safe is a Tempting Target for Pirates ... For the most part, Pirate attacks take place near shore, and the Pirates use small speedboats to carry them out their missions ... However ... Some Pirate attacks have occurred as far as 400 nautical miles away from the coastline. In these cases, authorities have suspected that smaller ships were working in conjunction with a large mother ship that carries fuel, supplies, and ammunition ... A few attacks that use canoes have also taken place very near to shore ... As with Golden Age Pirates ... 21st Century Pirates Arm Themselves Heavily ... They use guns, knives, grenades and rocket launchers ... Pirates Threaten and Assault Crew Members, Take Hostages, and Maroon Their Victims ... Sometimes they transfer the pirate ship's crew to the attacked vessel and depart with the entire captured ship and its cargo ... On Occasion, Captured Crew Members Have Died at the Hands of 21st Century Pirates. ... Pirates also take advantage of current technology by monitoring communications between ships and ports to determine the best targets and plans of attack ... Unlike Golden Age Pirates, who often spent their lives at sea ... 21st Century Pirates Typically Operate From Shore ... The Few who pursue a career in Piracy rather than attacking a small number of random ships ... Must Have Access to Markets That Can Sell Their Plunder... They also must have an organizational structure, weapons, and surveillance equipment. Pirates who steal entire ships have to find sympathetic ports where the authorities are willing to disregard their illegal activities. In these ports, Pirates re-register their ships with new names and false identification ... This Creates Phantom Ships That Are Used for Illegal Purposes. ... In 2016, Former Fishermen Became Pirates ... Quickly,These new Pirates became active in the ... State of Sucre ... Here, Multiple Killings were Prevalent ...By 2018 ... Venezuelans Became more Concerned about Rumors that the Venezuelans had Become More Fearful that Venezuelan Pirates Would Spread Throughout Caribbean Waters ...
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