EU Shipping Law
Page 1537
CHAPTER 38
Piracy
A. Introduction
38.001 Until recently, one would have been forgiven for thinking that piracy was consigned to the history books. However, the reality in recent years is that piracy has become a very significant issue in various parts of the world, most notably, off Somalia.1 The situation off Somalia has intensified since the mid-2000s. While piracy exists in various parts of the world, it is the situation off Somalia which has caught the attention of the European Union (“EU”) more than any other area. This chapter considers the EU law aspects of piracy.2 38.002 The first recital to the Council’s 2010 Recommendation on Measures for Self-Protection and the Prevention of Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships3 recalls that“the resurgence of acts of piracy off the coast of Somalia led the Maritime Safety Committee of the International Maritime Organisation (‘IMO’) to adopt a series of measures at its 86th session from 27 May to 5 June 2009. It issued a number of circulars either updating the general recommendations in force on the measures to combat piracy and armed robbery against ships or defining specific measures to tackle piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia.”