Modern Piracy Endangering Global Commerce and Security

Jessica Zuckerman / February 22, 2010

While Blackbeard may be long dead, the days of piracy and the threats posed by it did not end in the 17th century. Today, piracy proves an ever growing threat to global commerce and the freedom of the seas, as pirates continue to take commercial ships hostage in hope of receiving large ransom sums for the exchange of cargo and individuals held hostage.

Headlines in 2009 highlighting the capture of the Maersk Alabama and Liberty Sun off the coast of Somalia brought the threat posed by pirates in the region to the forefront of American minds; however, the question of what can be done to combat this ominous threat remains. With as many as 20,000 ships traveling each year in the Gulf of Aden alone, there is a clear need for expanded anti-piracy efforts to protect these ships and ensure the security of global commerce and the maritime domain.

On Thursday, the State Department’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs, Thomas Countryman, held an event highlighting America’s efforts thus far. Join The Heritage Foundation, on Tuesday, February 23rd at 10:30 a.m., as we follow on this event by looking at how science and technology can be used to further protect ships from the threat of piracy in dangerous waters.

Please visit Heritage to RSVP to “Anti-Piracy Hardware: Keeping Ships Out of Harm’s Way.”