The Global Maritime Partnership and Somali Piracy

New co-operative maritime strategies by concerned authorities are needed to serve as the basis for deeper maritime security partnerships to deal with the potential threat of the Maritime piracy in the Horn of Africa, especially in the Gulf of Aden. Somali gunmen in speedboats have seized and held for ransom seafarers and valuable cargo. Some of the greatest trophies seized by pirates in 2008 include a supertanker carrying $100 million in oil and ships laden with industrial chemicals. Piracy off the Somali coast is particularly pernicious for Red Sea states, as Suez Canal transits are being adversely affected by the instability. The original US concept of a 'Thousand Ship Navy' has broadened into 'Global Maritime Partnership' (GMP) that includes not just naval forces but the capabilities of civilian departments, law enforcement and regulatory agencies, industry representatives and non-governmental organizations, all working together to forge enduring maritime security partnerships.