SINGAPORE — The confrontation between foreign warships and well-armed pirates off the coast of lawless Somalia is a dramatic reminder to Asia of the importance of safeguarding busy channels used by international shipping.
This is particularly the case for the straits of Malacca and Singapore. This is the shortest sea route between the energy-rich Persian Gulf and voracious energy consumers in Northeast Asia, especially Japan, China and South Korea, which depend heavily on oil imported from the Middle East. Yet, the deteriorating situation off the Horn of Africa and potential threats to shipping in the Persian Gulf contrast starkly with the improved security in previously pirate-prone Southeast Asian waters.
Reflecting the intensifying fighting and political chaos in Somalia, where the central government collapsed in 1991, piracy directed at ships passing the country with the longest coastline in Africa has worsened. In recent months, more and more vessels have been attacked and hijacked. Using as much as $30 million in ransom money paid this year by ship owners to free their seized vessels and crews, the pirates have bought increasingly sophisticated equipment, including faster attack craft with longer ranges, rocket-propelled grenades, satellite phones and global positioning systems.