Piracy Today

Modern piracy has nothing to do with Jack Sparrow or the romanticised mercenaries of popular culture. It is a billion-dollar business that takes advantage of inadequate international law, lax enforcement and under-staffed ships. Gangs armed with AK-47s and small rocket launchers have been emboldened by recent successes and are demanding—and often receiving—six-figure ransoms. Theft of cargo and rocketing insurance premiums mean the cost of transporting goods is rising, not to mention the increased physical danger to mariners in all corners of the globe. In this eye-opening account, respected author and seaman John C. Payne lifts the veil on modern piracy, detailing hundreds of very real and frightening accounts up until now. The recent hijacking of the Maersk Alabama by Somali pirates merely brought worldwide attention to an issue that has been simmering for years.
HB 262 pages.