How to Deal with Pirates

William B. Cassidy | Apr 13, 2009 2:00PM GMT

How should governments and shipping lines deal with Somali pirates?

In a column in today's Washington Post, Fred C. Iklé of the Center for Strategic and International Studies suggests arming at least commercial ship officers and/or stationing armed guards on ships, asking:

Why couldn't they at least arm the captain and place two experienced and reliable police officers on board?

Click here to read Iklé's column.

What do you think? Should shipping lines take his advice?

Thanks, Peter. Armed guards, escort vessels, greased down topsides ... and higher costs and insurance premiums for carriers and their customers, I'd imagine.

One other point that's been raised by some as an argument against giving crew and officers weapons or putting armed guards on ships is that it could increase the risk of violent harm to crew members if pirates do attack. Anyone have thoughts on that?

- By William B. Cassidy on 4/13/09

There is no easy solution. The shipping industry doesn't want to incur the cost of hiring armed guards for its ships, seeing the problem as one for governments. Crews are trained to operate ships, not to fight off pirates. But the Maersk Alabama incident shows that despite the flotilla of navy ships sent to this region, no vessel is safe. Some commentators have argued that this is a problem that begins on the land, and that if we can revive the failed state of Somalia, that will solve this problem. Perhaps, but that could take years. The solution to the immediate problem, if there is one, exists on the high seas, and it involves paramilitary solutions - armed guards on ships, escort vessels, greased down topsides, Navy presence and fire hoses as the ready.

- By Peter Tirschwell on 4/13/09