Pirates today: evolution of the threat on the seas Introduction: from romance to reality The historical image of a pirate, formed by literature and cinematography, is that of a bearded man with an boarding saber on a sailing ship. Modern reality is far from this stereotype. Piracy in the 21st century is a high-profit transnational criminal activity that uses satellite communication, fast boats, and automatic weapons. According to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), piracy causes damage to the world economy annually in the amount of 7-12 billion dollars due to stolen cargo, ransom payments, increased insurance premiums, and security costs. Geography of modern piracy: three centers 1. The Gulf of Aden and the Somali coast (peak: 2008-2012)This region has become a symbol of piracy at the beginning of the 21st century. An interesting fact: in 2010, Somali pirates held more than 30 ships and 700 hostages at the same time. Their tactics were based on capturing ships with the help of fast boats 200-300 nautical miles from the coast and then escorting them to Somali ports for ransom negotiations. The record ransom was $13.5 million for the tanker "Moscow University" in 2010 (although most of the money was later destroyed as a result of a special operation). After the deployment of international naval coalitions (EU Navfor Atalanta, NATO) and the introduction of armed guards on ships, activity here has sharply decreased, but the threat has not disappeared completely. 2. The Gulf of Guinea (Western Africa)Today, this is the most dangerous zone in the world's oceans. Unlike Somali pirates, pirates in the Gulf of Guinea rarely take ships for ransom. Their main tactic is armed robbery and abduction of crew members for the purpose of obtaining a quick ransom. Attacks occur, as a rule, in territorial waters and even on anchorage stations. In 2020, this region accounted for 95% of all crew abductions in the world. Pirates operate from the Niger Delta in Nigeria, using a labyri ... Read more