The Maritime Domain and Consequentially Increased Significance and Frequency Of Impactful Maritime Crime

Abstrak

Frequent debate over the definitions of maritime terrorism and piracy and their implications on scholarly research and maritime threat strategy has occurred during the last 20 years. The two concepts have been dissected and treated separately, yet evidence has shown that they are interlinked in practice. Is terrorism in the maritime domain merely a form of piracy? Are the two security challenges that different? This research project argues that maritime terrorism is entwined in the methods and practices that piracy uses. Rather than being its own concept, it should instead be seen as a branch of piracy with caveats for different motives and end goals. This has become increasingly important in recent years as globalisation has meant increased usage of the maritime domain and consequentially increased significance and frequency of impactful maritime crime. This research project answers these questions in order to fill a gap between the two concepts and allow for more effective studies and policies when dealing with this maritime threat. Key findings are that the case studies of well-known maritime terrorist attacks, ‘Superferry 14’, ‘MV Limburg’ and ‘Achille Lauro’, all possessed features of piracy in how they were conducted. Maritime terrorism uses methods of piracy in order to conduct attacks as well as facilitate attacks on land. Finally, cyber space is appearing to provide a new platform for the facilitation of maritime terrorism and piracy.