Contemporary Maritime Piracy and Counter-Piracy

This chapter will examine contemporary piracy and responses to it. As a starting point, definitions, conceptualisations and broader consequences will be briefly discussed to place piracy within the modern political and security context. This is followed by an overview of causal factors, manifestations as well as regional and international efforts initiated to suppress piracy in the western Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia and the Gulf of Guinea. The final section will explore some lessons and perspectives from insights into modern piracy and counter-piracy. These include the changing role of private security, the effectiveness of informal governance, the enduring utility of navies, the interlinkages of maritime crime, as well as the relationship between security and blue growth.