Exactly one year has passed since the European Union launched its biggest ever peacetime patrol mission in foreign seas aimed at combating piracy off Somalia's lawless coast. Deep in the Gulf of Aden's azure waters on board a Norwegian battleship, the Fridtjof Nansen, a suspicious boat lingers on the horizon. We are ten nautical miles from the coast of Djibouti in a stretch of Indian Ocean water that leads up to the Suez canal, one of the world's busiest water-ways. It is also one of the world's most dangerous.
This is where maurading "motherships" sail from Somalia before dispatching smaller rafts to hijack commercial ferries - hence its nickname "pirate alley". Aboard the Nansen a message is sent out from the control room and sailors are dispatched to the mounted heavy machine-guns which dot the Nansen's sides: every vessel that passes must be checked.
Dubbed 'Operation Atalanta'' the Nansen is one of thirty-five warships currently patrolling the Gulf in a security cordon stretching from Djibouti to the east coast of Yemen. It involves more than two dozen nations including states such as India, Japan, Russian and China.
Dubbed 'Operation Atalanta'' the Nansen is one of thirty-five warships currently patrolling the Gulf in a security cordon stretching from Djibouti to the east coast of Yemen. It involves more than two dozen nations including states such as India, Japan, Russian and China.
On the eve of its anniversary EU officials were eager to trumpet the mission's success; transit in the Aden is now largely safe, the last successful pirate attack having occurred there over 5 months ago.
The arsenal of weapons aboard the Nansen used to capture and deter would-be pirates is impressive. In addition to the long-range gun barrel that protrudes from the turret on the bow - used to scare pirates rather than blow them up, I'm assured - is an anodyne-looking circular device.
The arsenal of weapons aboard the Nansen used to capture and deter would-be pirates is impressive. In addition to the long-range gun barrel that protrudes from the turret on the bow - used to scare pirates rather than blow them up, I'm assured - is an anodyne-looking circular device.
This hi-tech 'loud speaker' is used to give instructions to suspicious boats up to 900 meters away. If suspects do not comply it can transmit a sonic boom loud enough to split human ear-drums, in effect creating a barrier around the Nansen. "[Pirates] would have to be really motivated to get through that," said one seaman.
If suspicious boats don't stop when ordered heavily armed special forces - in teams of six - are dispatched in aquiline rubber speedboats to arrest them. Pirates are then transferred into one of two specially-built mobile prisons mounted close to the bridge; each cage measures no more than a few square meters and containes four bunk-beds and a toilet.
If suspicious boats don't stop when ordered heavily armed special forces - in teams of six - are dispatched in aquiline rubber speedboats to arrest them. Pirates are then transferred into one of two specially-built mobile prisons mounted close to the bridge; each cage measures no more than a few square meters and containes four bunk-beds and a toilet.
If enough incriminating evidence of piracy is discovered the suspects are transferred down to the Kenyan port of Mombasa where they will await trial.
One sailor showed me a photo of a cache of weapons discovered aboard one captured skiff. Giveaway signs of piracy included a rusty rocket propelled grenade launcher, a grappling hook and a ladder. Not, however, the half dozen AK 47 rifles. "Having AKs for Somali fishermen is quite normal," the officer drolly remarked.
In addition to pirates, the Nansen has also discovered adrift seamen and people smugglers; it is obliged to help and release both groups as the latter does not fall under its mandate.
Yet despite of the might of the world's fleets amassed on the high seas piracy has continued seemingly unabated. Currently pirates are holding eleven ships with a total of 283 hostages and hoping - like many of their colleagues before them - to walk away with tens of millions of dollars in ransom booty.
Ole Sanquist, captain of the Nansen, told RFI that Somalia's own capacity to tackle piracy would have to be built if the scourge is to be won in the long-term. "In November we had meetings with government representatives in Puntland and Somaliland and brought them aboard our ship. It's a confidence building exercise," he said.
For now, despite the EU's modest success, the pirates have simply moved on from the Gulf of Aden. The night before we sailed Major Marten Granberg, a Swedish major aboard the Nansen, received a text message: a Pakistani fishing boat had just been hijacked in the Indian Ocean.
One sailor showed me a photo of a cache of weapons discovered aboard one captured skiff. Giveaway signs of piracy included a rusty rocket propelled grenade launcher, a grappling hook and a ladder. Not, however, the half dozen AK 47 rifles. "Having AKs for Somali fishermen is quite normal," the officer drolly remarked.
In addition to pirates, the Nansen has also discovered adrift seamen and people smugglers; it is obliged to help and release both groups as the latter does not fall under its mandate.
Yet despite of the might of the world's fleets amassed on the high seas piracy has continued seemingly unabated. Currently pirates are holding eleven ships with a total of 283 hostages and hoping - like many of their colleagues before them - to walk away with tens of millions of dollars in ransom booty.
Ole Sanquist, captain of the Nansen, told RFI that Somalia's own capacity to tackle piracy would have to be built if the scourge is to be won in the long-term. "In November we had meetings with government representatives in Puntland and Somaliland and brought them aboard our ship. It's a confidence building exercise," he said.
For now, despite the EU's modest success, the pirates have simply moved on from the Gulf of Aden. The night before we sailed Major Marten Granberg, a Swedish major aboard the Nansen, received a text message: a Pakistani fishing boat had just been hijacked in the Indian Ocean.
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