Piracy

Piracy is a crime of robbery or violence carried out by people on ships or boats. They attack another ship or a coastal area. Pirates usually want to steal cargo and valuable goods, or to take hostages. People who commit piracy are called pirates, and the boats they use are called pirate ships. The earliest known piracy happened in the 14th century BC, when the Sea Peoples, a group of ocean raiders, attacked ships of the Aegean and Mediterranean civilizations. Narrow channels that force ships onto set routes have long made piracy easier, as well as privateering and commerce raiding.

Places such as the waters of Gibraltar, the Strait of Malacca, Madagascar, the Gulf of Aden, and the English Channel are well-known examples, because their shapes made pirate attacks easier. The word piracy mostly refers to crimes at sea. It has also been used for acts on land, in the air, on computer networks, and, in science fiction, in outer space. Piracy usually does not include crimes a person commits on their own boat, such as theft, or privateering, which happens with permission from a state government.

Piracy is a specific crime under customary international law, and many countries also have their own laws against it. In the 21st century, attacks on transport ships are still a serious problem. In 2023, losses from these attacks worldwide were estimated at US$25 billion, up from US$16 billion in 2004. Waters between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, off the Somali coast, and in the Strait of Malacca and Singapore have often been targeted by modern pirates. These pirates may carry weapons and sometimes explosives, and they often use small motorboats to reach and board ships. Because these attacks often happen in international waters, the international community faces many challenges in bringing modern pirates to justice. Some nations have used their naval forces to stop and chase pirates. Some private ships use guards, high-pressure water cannons, or sound cannons to keep pirates away, and radar to spot possible dangers.

Romantic stories about piracy during the Age of Sail have long been part of Western pop culture. The two-volume A General History of the Pyrates, published in London in 1724, is generally credited with bringing famous pirates and a partly accurate picture of the "Golden Age of Piracy" to the public's imagination. This book inspired many later stories, especially the novels Treasure Island (1883) and Peter Pan (1911). These stories have been adapted for the stage, film, television, and other media for over a century. More recently, the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, which began in 2003, made the pirates of the "golden age" even more popular, and also more stereotyped.

Etymology

The English word "pirate" comes from the Latin word pirata, which means "pirate" or "sea robber." That word came from the Greek word peiratēs, meaning "brigand." Over time, it came to describe anyone who robbed people on land or at sea.

The word first appeared in English around 1300. The spelling did not become standard until the eighteenth century. Before that, people wrote it in different ways, such as "pirrot," "pyrate," and "pyrat."

History

For a step-by-step guide, see Timeline of piracy.

Piracy is very old. The first pirates we have records of were the Sea People. They attacked ships in the Aegean and Mediterranean in the 14th century BC. In ancient times, the Phoenicians, Illyrians, and Tyrrhenians were also known as pirates. Later, the Vikings raided and took things from coastal towns across Europe, mostly between the 8th and 12th centuries. From around 1500, the Barbary pirates of North Africa attacked ships from Christian countries. They captured many people and took them away to be sold.

Piracy also happened in the Caribbean. Its most famous period lasted from about 1650 until the mid-1720s. In Southeast Asia and East Asia, pirate fleets raided ships and coastal villages for many years. After 1720, this kind of piracy became very rare in European waters. The Royal Navy had found better ways to stop it.

Culture and social structure

Pirates shared their stolen goods using a ranking system on board, but they were more egalitarian than most jobs of the time. Their quartermasters could even veto the captain's orders. Most of the loot was cargo and ship equipment, and medicine was valued most highly. Jewels were less popular because they were hard to sell. Pirates who captured valuable ships could earn large shares, while sailors in the Royal Navy were paid much less. Pirates rarely buried their treasure, because food, water, weapons, and clothing were needed right away. Ships often surrendered quickly when they believed they would be spared. Captured pirates were usually put to death, often by hanging, and sometimes crowds came to watch.

See also: No purchase, no pay

Main article: Women in piracy

Women made up only a small part of the pirate crews. Pirates did not often allow women onto their ships, and many believed women brought bad luck because crew members might fight over them. Only a few female pirates are known from the Golden Age of Piracy, including Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Many Caribbean pirate crews of European descent also worked as limited democracies, with a system of checks and balances similar to those used by modern democracies. The first record of such a government on a pirate ship dates to the 17th century. See also: Pirate code and distribution of justice

Known pirate shipwrecks

Some shipwrecks of pirate ships have been found. Here are a few of them.

• Whydah Gally was found in 1984. It was once a slave ship. The pirate captain Samuel Bellamy took it on its first trip from Africa. The wreck was found under sand off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Later, a ship's bell and a small brass plate, both marked with the ship's name, were found. The Whydah is the only pirate shipwreck from the Golden Age of piracy that has been fully proven. Since 2007, its treasures have traveled in an exhibit called "Real Pirates," sponsored by National Geographic.
• Queen Anne's Revenge was found in 1996. It was the main ship of the famous pirate Blackbeard. In 1718, he ran the ship aground at Topsail Inlet, which is now called Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina. The wreck was found near Fort Macon State Park in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. So far, thirty-one cannons have been identified, and many artifacts have been recovered.
• Golden Fleece was found in 2009 in the Dominican Republic, at Samaná Bay. It was the ship of the English pirate Joseph Bannister. Shipwreck hunters John Chatterton and John Mattera found it. The discovery is told in Robert Kurson's book Pirate Hunters (2015).

Privateers

Main article: Privateer

A privateer, also called a corsair, did similar things to a pirate. However, a privateer worked under orders from a government. The government or a king gave the privateer a letter of marque and reprisal. This letter allowed the privateer to capture merchant ships of an enemy nation. For example, the United States Constitution of 1787 allowed Congress to give out these letters. Under an international agreement, a privateer could not technically be called a pirate when attacking the ships named in the letter. This did not always keep them safe, though. Whether someone was seen as a pirate or a legal privateer often depended on who had captured them. Some privateers went beyond their letters and attacked nations that their ruler was at peace with. This could make them guilty of piracy.

The famous Barbary corsairs of the Mediterranean were privateers, and they were allowed to sail by the Ottoman Empire. The Maltese corsairs were also privateers, authorized by the Knights of St. John. The Dunkirkers who served the Spanish Empire were privateers too. Sir Francis Drake was a famous privateer who worked for Queen Elizabeth I. During the Nine Years War, France encouraged its French corsairs, including Jean Bart, to attack English and Dutch ships. In the 17th and 18th centuries, privateers were a large part of the navy at sea. Privateering lost international approval under the Declaration of Paris in 1856. Around the time of the American Revolution, many American sailors served on privateers. During the American Civil War, Confederate privateers bothered Union merchant ships.

Commerce raiders

See also: Ruse de guerre

During wartime, some disguised warships called commerce raiders or merchant raiders acted a bit like pirates. These ships sneaked up on enemy trading ships and then opened fire. Commerce raiders were successful during the American Revolution. During the American Civil War, the Confederacy sent out several commerce raiders, the most famous being the CSS Alabama. Germany also used these tactics during World War I and World War II, in both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

These ships were openly used navy warships, so they should not be called privateers or pirates. Still, the enemies of these ships often called them pirates.

Contemporary piracy

See also: Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, Piracy in Somalia, Piracy in the Strait of Malacca, Piracy on Falcon Lake, and List of ships attacked by Somali pirates

Attacks on cargo ships are a serious problem. They cost businesses billions of dollars each year. Piracy happens in the waters between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Somalia, and in the Strait of Malacca and Singapore. Many commercial ships travel through these waters every year. In the late 2000s, the United States led a group of countries to patrol the waters near the Horn of Africa, because of piracy off Somalia. In 2011, Brazil created a team to fight piracy on the Amazon River. Sir Peter Blake, a New Zealand world champion yachtsman, was killed by pirates on the Amazon in 2001. In the European Union, ships also face river piracy. Attacks have happened on the Serbian and Romanian parts of the Danube river, an international waterway.

Modern pirates often use small motorboats. They take advantage of the small crews on modern cargo ships. Many major shipping routes pass through narrow waters, such as the Gulf of Aden and the Strait of Malacca, where ships are easier to catch. Other areas with pirate activity include the South China Sea and the Niger Delta. Pirates often operate in poor or struggling countries with small navies, along busy trade routes. Since the end of the Cold War, many navies have become smaller and patrol less. This has made organized piracy easier. The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) keeps records of pirate attacks going back to 1995. Pirates have often tried to take the ship's safe, which may hold money, and sometimes the crew's belongings. Piracy can also happen during times of political unrest. For example, people fleeing by boat were attacked by pirates in Thailand. In Somalia, warlords attacked ships carrying food aid from the UN. In 2005, pirates attacked the cruise ship the Seabourn Spirit off Somalia. They used speedboats that were launched from a larger ship and carried weapons. Piracy also rose in attacks off the coast of Indonesia in 2012.

Modern piracy can include boarding ships without permission, extortion, hostage taking, kidnapping people for ransom, and sabotage, which means damaging a ship on purpose. The International Chamber of Commerce has said that the Americas and Africa are the regions most at risk. Pirates also use tools such as satellite phones, GPS, machetes, AK74 rifles, sonar, speedboats, pistols, RPGs, and grenade launchers. In 2020, piracy increased by 24% after reaching its lowest level of the 21st century in 2019. In 2026, Israel stopped the Global Sumud Flotilla, a group of 70 boats carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, in international waters near Greece.

Anti-piracy measures

See also: Anti-piracy measures in Somalia; Combined Task Force 151; Operation Atalanta; European Maritime Force; Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa; Operation Ocean Shield; Danish counter-piracy strategy; West Indies anti-piracy operations of the United States; Aegean Sea anti-piracy operations of the United States; Operation Prosperity Guardian; Operation Aspides; Indian Ocean Commission; Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean region; Indian Armed Forces § Peace keeping, anti-piracy, and exploration missions; Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia; and Anti-Piracy Act of 1819

Under a rule called "universal jurisdiction," a government can act against piracy even when it happens outside its own territory. This helps protect the whole world. For example, the United States can give a life sentence for piracy on the high seas, no matter who the pirates or victims are. The goal of maritime security is to stop piracy. However, pirates are often caught and then let go, and they have little reason to stop when there is so much money to be made. Some countries will not send people to places where they could be seriously harmed. Prosecutors can also find it hard to gather witnesses and translators. The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia was formed in November 2006. Since the 2010s, the U.S. Navy and others have been developing artificial intelligence (AI) systems that send piracy alerts based on surveillance data.

Ships are encouraged to register their voyages with the Maritime Security Centre – Horn of Africa. The handbook known as BMP4 gives advice on staying safe. Ideas include adding razor wire to the deck, spraying sea-water over the side, and building a "citadel" where the crew can go to be protected. Peacetime rules have usually not let merchant ships carry weapons. However, the U.S. government changed its rules to let U.S.-flagged vessels use armed private guards. The US Coast Guard leaves the decision about arming them to ship owners. This has led to new private security companies and floating armouries, which have proved useful. Seychelles has become a central hub for anti-piracy operations. Laser dazzlers have also been developed for super-yachts. They can work up to 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) away, causing effects from mild confusion to flash blindness at closer range. Ships can avoid pirates by using radar or other systems. Every ship over 300 tons carries a transponder that shares its information, so an unexpected change can attract attention. Patrolling navies are available in some areas, such as near Somalia. Robotic or remote-controlled USVs and UAVs are sometimes used too. A former British chief of defence staff (David Richards) questioned the value of costly equipment. He pointed out that expensive destroyers were trying to deal with pirates in a small dhow armed with RPGs that cost US$50, with an outboard motor costing $100. Armed guards have also been controversial. In 2012, Italian Marines on the tanker Enrica Lexie were involved in an incident off Kerala. This caused a disagreement between India and Italy, and the ship was ordered into Kochi, where officers of the Indian Police questioned the crew. The legal outcome, including whether functional immunity is granted, is still undecided. At a United Nations Security Council meeting, Susan Rice told the council that no ship carrying armed guards had been successfully attacked, as reported by the Associated Press. Gerard Araud argued that private guards do not stop attacks as well as government navies do.

Main article: International piracy law

In the United Kingdom, the Piracy Act 1837 created an offence of aggravated piracy, and the Piracy Act 1850 is also linked to it. Under common law, piracy by a British subject was once treated as petty treason, but the Treason Act 1351 said it was not. In English admiralty law, piracy was later defined as a felony during the reign of Henry VIII. English judges in vice admiralty courts said that pirates were not owed the usual promises, and captured pirates could be punished very harshly. In 2008, the Foreign Office advised the Royal Navy about pirates who might ask for asylum in Britain. The High Court of Justiciary and the Senior Courts Act 1981 also deal with piracy cases. The Territorial Waters Jurisdiction Act 1878, the Aviation Security Act 1982, and the Offences at Sea Act 1799 have their own rules. The book Archbold explains these laws.

In the United States, the U.S. Constitution, Art. I Sec. 8 cl. 10 allows piracy to be prosecuted. The Marshall Court (1801-1835) heard many piracy cases. The penalty was death in 1820 and became life imprisonment by 1909, as set out in 18 U.S.C.. In 2010, a court ruled in United States v. Smith (1820) that piracy was limited to "robbery at sea," but this was later overturned. Internationally, the British and the Dutch once split the Strait of Malacca between them to fight piracy, and that line later became a border. Piracy is important in international law because it is widely seen as the first case of universal jurisdiction, a rule that lets any country act against pirates. Piracy is a breach of jus cogens, and pirates are considered hostis humani generis, an enemy of all humankind. Because of this rule, the principle extra territorium jus dicenti impune non paretur does not apply in the usual way. A Convention on Piracy was adopted by the League of Nations in 1932.

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) of 1982 defines piracy iure gentium in Articles 101 to 103. This definition was first written in the Convention on the High Seas, which was drafted by the International Law Commission. The rules only cover piracy on the high seas. Some authors argue that the law needs to be more uniform to strengthen anti-piracy rules.

Cultural perceptions

Main articles: List of fictional pirates and Pirates in popular culture

Pirates appear often in stories. In their Caribbean form, they are linked with stereotypical ways of speaking and dressing, and some of these are made up. One historian said that most ideas about how pirates behaved come from the golden age of fictional piracy. This age peaked in 1881 with Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. Captain Charles Johnson's book A General History of the Pyrates, published in London in 1724, shaped the popular idea of pirates. It is the main source for the life stories of many famous pirates of the Golden Age. Naval historian David Cordingly wrote that Captain Johnson created the modern idea of pirates.

In the 1830s, Letitia Elizabeth Landon wrote two Pirate Songs, one in 1831 and one in 1837. The second, "Bona, the Pirate's Song," was copied many times as "The Pirate's Song," often without her name. Ideas about pirates from stories also spread widely. "Walking the plank" became popular because of J. M. Barrie's 1911 novel Peter Pan, which featured the pirate Captain Hook. Actor Robert Newton played Long John Silver in Disney's 1950 film adaptation. His pirate accent, from the West Country, helped shape the modern image of a pirate. Other influences include Sinbad the Sailor and the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Many sports teams also use "raider," "buccaneer," or "pirate" as a nickname, such as the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Economics of piracy

Some writers have studied the money side of piracy. In 1953, Cyrus Karraker wrote Piracy was a Business, which describes pirates in terms of modern racketeering. Patrick Crowhurst studied French piracy, and David Starkey looked at British piracy in the 1700s. The 1998 book The Invisible Hook: The Hidden Economics of Pirates by Peter T. Leeson is also worth reading.

Some research from 2014 looks at the links between piracy and entrepreneurship. Researchers study piracy without deciding whether it is right or wrong. They see it as a source of ideas for entrepreneurship education in the 2010s, and for research into entrepreneurship and business-model generation. Studies of piracy may also separate planned (organised) piracy from opportunistic piracy.