SHIPPING Australia has expressed its concern about the need to address the continuing piracy crisis in the Indian Ocean.
Shipping Australia CEO Llew Russell says around 1,500 seafarers have been taken hostage for ransom for months at a time.
“The unacceptable situation prevailing now, with seafarers lives being threatened on a daily basis - and Somali pirates still operating with impunity - cannot be allowed to continue” he says.
Russell points out that while the military has been successful in providing protection in the Gulf of Aden, the pirates are now operating throughout the northwest Indian Ocean.
“SAL commends the Australian Government for the action it has taken, in particular the commissioning of the Inspector of Transport Security to undertake an investigation into international piracy and armed robbery at sea as a relevant transport security matter of concern to the Federal Government.”
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