The Spanish Playa de Bakio, the Greek Genius, the Ukranian Fania, the Saudi Arabian Sirius Star or the Hongkonger Delight. These are not tipical dishes from countries around the globe but the names of the ships attacked and kidnaped by Somalian pirates during the last two years.

The litterature from the XIXth Century is full of vibrating adventures of brave pirates fighting noble wars in the wild Caribbean Sea. How surprised would be Emilio Salgari, José de Espronceda or even Rudyard Kipling to see that the heros they created have turned into real two centuries later. Only that instead of swords and black flags they have Kalashnikov and don’t refugee in Tortuga Island but in Eyl, Somalia.

In the last five years the routes passing through the Red Sea towards the Suez Channel have been seriously disturbed by the action of Somali pirates. Despite the measures taken by the UN Security Council and the European Union, the situation doesn’t seem to improve: the International Maritime Organization (IMO) reports that last year Somali pirates performed ninety two attacks, thirty six of which succeeded.

However, these numbers may be even bigger, as ship-owners usually don’t report the attacks in an attempt to avoid media attention on their companies. Actually, it is estimated that about 98% of the attacks remain unreported.

Those are truly international kidnappings

Though some of them have become front page news as ships from China, Spain, Saudi Arabia and even Turkey were attacked and kidnapped by Somali pirates.

The case of Saudi Arabian oil tanker Sirius Star was largely commented: the ship was kidnapped by Somali pirates in November 2008. It contained two million oil barrels and pirates asked for it a ransom of twenty five million dollars. The ship was freed last January after paying a ransom of three million dollars.

Others haven’t been that lucky: according to the International Herald Tribune, fourteen ships carrying more than two hundred and fifty crew members are still in the power of the pirates into the city of Eyl.

Somalia, a country sank into caos

The reason of such rising of piracy in the area is explained by the current situation in Somalia and also by the large amount of ships passing every day through Somali waters. According to the IMO, at least seven ships which carry by seven per cent of the world’s oil production are sailing by the area every day.

Oil tankers and fish boats represent a really juicy pray for Somali pirates, whose country has been collapsed politically and economically since the fall of Somalia dictator Sayid Barre in 1991. Right after, a long civil war followed and it has turned into an extremely complex conflict between different clans nowadays. For the last fifteen years, Somalians have dealed with a country plunged into the caos, a consequence of constant betrayals, aliances and wars between clans.

The appearance of islamic fundamentalists through a Council of Islamic Courts (CIC) in 2006 complicated the situation even more: it added another actor to the conflict and introduced the religious factor as well. Despite the existance of organs such as the Transitional Federal Government, a Parliament and a Prime Minister, etc.

Today, Somalia remains a collapsed country where institutions are an illusion without any real power. In fact, they are the chiefs belonging to local clans who have the control over little areas and whose main objective is becoming as richer as possible.

Attacking and kidnapping oil tankers and fish boats are very lucrative businesses in a country where most people don’t make much more than 600 Euros per year: it is estimated that pirates get a plunder of around 8.000 Euros in each attack. Besides, insurance companies paid 100 million dollars last year in order to rescue kidnapped ships.

The international community reacts

In the last months, the UN has tried to minimize the risk of ships making the route to the west through the Suez Channel. Last December, the UN Security Council autorized the use of  ”all necessary measures in Somalia” in order to fight the pirates. The resolution, which was proposed by the US, allows the use of foreign ground and air forces in other countries a part from Somalia.

Besides, China, Spain, Turkey and some other European countries have sent warships to patrol the area. Despite all the measures taken, pirates don’t seem to be reducing their attacks: fourteen ships were attacked in January and the presence of a twenty ship international force couldn’t stop them.

Because of the constant pirate attacks a number and the large ransoms paid by insurance companies, some shipping lines are seriously considering changing their routes and moving them towards South African waters instead of using the route of Suez. It all has a consequence on the price of oil, which has rised over the last months because of that. Considering that insurance companies have increased their prices by ten percent and that a new route by the Cape of Good Hope is longer -and more expensive- it is likely that oil price will continue rising in the near future.