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CNN World Report

Dutch Merchant Ships Find Ways to Ward Off Pirates

Aired June 10, 2001 - 14:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SHIHAB RATTANSI, CNN ANCHOR: From the music piracy to piracy on the high seas, it has long been a threat to crew members on ships around the world. It's becoming a greater concern in the Netherlands, because of an increase in the use of violence. Few Dutch vessels have been targeted, but ship owners are nevertheless finding ways to protect their crew members and cargo. RNTV Netherlands reports.

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JEROEN BAAN, RNTV NETHERLANDS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Piracy is an increasingly pressing concern for the international community. Last year, a total of 469 attacks were registered. And 56 percent increased since 1999. Most incidents occur in Southeast Asia, although the horn of Africa and the Caribbean have also emerged as high-risk areas.

WOUT VAN DER ZWAM, SHIPPING COMPANY OWNER (through translator): It's like in the old days. Pirates enter a ship using hooks to climb up. In most cases, they are after the valuables of the crew members or the cargo. Especially containers stocked with cigarettes are a popular catch.

BAAN: Maritime piracy has been endemic for the international system for hundreds of years. During the 20th century, however, its importance was sidelined by the Cold War. But nowadays, piracy is again emerging as a prominent issue in terms of incidents and lethality.

GEERT BEZIER, DUTCH MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT: Crew members are getting more and more scared of pirates. No wonder it seems likes there's an increasingly use of violence, especially in some part of world, like Asia.

BAAN: Dutch ship owners are rarely confronted with piracy. Four times a year, a Dutch vessel is boarded by armed militia, who are after the ransom for the hostages they take. Nevertheless, Dutch authorities are investigating different ways in which piracy can be prevented, such as electric wires mounted on a ship's railing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We are conducting a experiment with electric wires, like farmers use to protect their cattle. We surround the ships with a number of these live wires. They are charged with 6,000 volts -- it won't kill a pirate, but it does prevent him from entering our ships. BAAN: The main objective for these measures is to protect crew members on board of Dutch merchant ships, as violence is often involved. But pushing back piracy doesn't stop with an electric wire. International diplomacy is the next best step that has to be taken.

Jeroen Baan, Radio Netherlands Television for CNN WORLD REPORT.

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