Yemen's $50,000+ Anti-Piracy Escorts

There is big money in anti-piracy security, and the Yemen Coast Guard apparently has found a way into the pockets of the shipping industry.

But at least one merchant ship a day, including some of the largest ship owners, are discreetly paying Yemen for military protection, said Nick Davis, chief executive of British-based Gulf of Aden Group Transits, which has an exclusive contract with the country's navy.

Under the payment-for-protection deal, up to 10 warships are placed at the company's disposal, with armed soldiers deployed to board private ships as escorts, with land-based military "right behind us if we need them", Mr Davis said.

"It's the only dedicated, military-supported full escort protection available in the Gulf of Aden at the moment. There's nothing better. We'd all like it to be free but that's not possible," he said.

The article goes on to note a warship escort is available for $55,000 - which believe it or not, is a competitive price for anti-piracy security. There have been 4 attacks on ships paying for the service, and all 4 attacks were repelled.

This isn't new news; I seem to recall we discussed this on the blog in the past. Maybe in the old comments (anyone remember)? $30 million over the last 18 months is significant money and begs the questions - where does the money go? Apparently the Yemen government didn't know about the scheme, so the report says.

When folks say Yemen is a corrupt mess, they aren't kidding.

The irony is we need the Coast Guard of Yemen to be able to assume the major security roles of the region, as indigenous security at sea is the exit strategy for the international coalition dealing with piracy.