ABSTRACT
While maritime piracy is not a new phenomenon and can be traced as far back as ancient Greece (Gottschalk & Flanagan 2000; Ong-Webb 2007; Konstam 2008), the current state of contemporary maritime piracy 1 has garnered significant attention from international governments, the media, policy strategists, and academic researchers. Maritime piracy incidents have not only increased globally in recent years, but have increased exponentially in specific regions. Moreover, the tactics and strategies utilized by pirates have evolved in certain piracy-prone areas. For example, reports of maritime piracy in Southeast Asia have shown an increased prevalence in violence (Raymond 2009), while incidents off the coast in Somalia and within the Gulf of Aden (GOA) have displayed increased levels of organization and sophistication, including the use of “mother vessels” and advanced weaponry (Anyu & Moki 2009; Murphy 2009; United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2009; ICC–IMB–Piracy Reporting Center 2010). Maritime piracy can result in assaults, hostage situations, kidnappings, homicides, and extortions.
