A pirate attack on Seabourn Spirit, as reported by CBC, off the coast of Somalia underscores a widening problem on the world's oceans. Piracy has always been with us, but over the past decade the increase in incidents and the violence of attacks has put the global merchant marine on notice. No amount of public attention seems to have any effect in curbing the problem. Perhaps it's time some of the "higher registries" of the International Maritime Organization got off their collective asses and put some solid effort into the situation. They can start by putting their navies on scene.
What makes the latest attack particularly troubling is the fact that the attackers were going after a cruise ship. Despite the number of passengers who might have produced a huge haul of goodies, such high-end ships are fitted out with the best communications equipment and tracking gear. The Somali pirates are getting either gutsier or more desperate.
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