Background

The Somali pirates who operate in the Gulf of Aden have become steadily more aggressive and daring in their hijackings and hijacking attempts. The EU's naval fleet will face a hard task when it is deployed to prevent these crimes. The pirate attacks occur along the entire coast and up to 500 nautical miles from shore. This means that naval vessels will have to patrol vast areas of ocean.

Possible solution

In the current market there is a large surplus of tonnage, with plenty of tankers, containerships and production ships either laid up or destined for demolition. These vessels can be picked up at a low cost (from $5 million to $10 million). Shipowners would like to get rid of them but buyers are hard to find. In the mean time, the idle ships represent a problem for owners as well as society.

These ships can contribute to the battle against piracy off the Horn of Africa. A high-level agency, be it the UN, EU, NATO or others, can establish a small fleet of these surplus ships or scrap yard candidates and man them with military competence and capacity. Then the boats can be put into traffic, like any other ships passing through the Gulf of Aden. 

The vessels would be manned by military personnel - a small but potent force. In addition the vessels would have to be equipped with high-speed combat boats, for instance the Combat Boat 90, some 200 of which are operated by the Swedish Defence. Alternatively, high speed Rib (rigid inflatable) boats could be used in these operations. These would be more vulnerable in skirmishes with pirates but they demand less space and could be mounted on smaller ships.
Whether Combat Boat 90s or Ribs are utilized, they would have superior speed, range and capacity than the boats used by pirates. The surprise factor they represent would offer an additional advantage. 

When pirates are spotted and still at a distance the combat boats would be lowered and launched, hidden from the pirates on the opposite side of the hull.  They would then be ready for action when the pirates attack. 
A prime objective would be to neutralize the mother ships used by the pirates. This would eliminate a key link in their operations.   
 
As for the decoy ships, no large modifications are needed. However, they do need to be fitted with a crane that is capable of bearing the weight of combat boats. Cranes of this size are a standard feature on many ships. In addition it might be necessary to reinforce, for instance, the machine room so that it can withstand machinegun fire from attackers.  
If FPSOs or tankers are used, their tanks can be filled with water so that they lie low in the water, making them appear to be easy and attractive targets for the pirates.   

Summary

. The cost of purchasing/chartering a fleet based on older tonnage would be minor compared to the use of naval vessels.
. The ships can be used more or less "as is", without costly modifications.
. No large crews are needed.
. The element of surprise is a trump card in disabling pirates and their mother ships. 
. Note: The combat boats and military personnel on board comprise the combatant force - not the merchant vessel and its crew.
. Perhaps most importantly: The fleet of camouflaged tankers/cargoships would have a considerable preventive effect on pirate activities around the Horn of Africa.
. The concept involves using several ships, which would impede the intelligence activities of pirates. 
. This is also a measure that would provide shipowners with a way to utilise older tonnage that currently ties up capital and poses a difficult challenge for many players. 
  

About Inocean

Inocean is a naval architecture company with special competence in floating offshore constructions. We provide design and engineering services to shipowners in Norway and abroad. Many of these face the risks or have been victims of pirate activities in Africa. This is the background for our involvement in seeking solutions to the threat of piracy.