From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Mon Sep 22 2008 - 14:45:43 EDT
Military can't guarantee safety off Somalia: US Navy
Mon 22 Sep 2008, 14:20 GMT
LONDON (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy said on Monday allied warships were doing all they could to thwart piracy in the strategic Gulf of Aden, but shipping companies should take their own measures to protect their vessels and crews.
The warning came as it emerged Somali pirates had hijacked another vessel off the Horn of Africa on Sunday, bringing the total seized so far this year to more than 30.
The U.S. Navy said the international naval force CTF-150 had stopped more then 12 attacks since May. CTF-150 comprises of warships from nations including Britain, France, Canada, Germany, Pakistan and the United States.
"The coalition does not have the resources to provide 24-hour protection for the vast number of merchant vessels in the region," said Combined Maritime Forces commander, U.S. vice admiral Bill Gortney.
"The shipping companies must take measures to defend their vessels and their crews," he said in a statement, urging merchant ships to employ their own security teams.
Last week global shipping groups clubbed together to call for naval powers to do more to protect the corridor. The sealine in the Arabian Sea between Yemen and Somalia links Asia to Europe via the Suez Canal and is critical to Gulf oil shipments.
Gortney said multinational naval patrols in support of the U.N. International Maritime Organization's (IMO) call in August for assistance to fight piracy was only part of the solution.
"Coalition maritime efforts will give the IMO time to work international efforts that will ultimately lead to a long-term solution," he said.
"This is a problem that starts ashore and requires an international solution. We made this clear at the outset -- our efforts cannot guarantee safety in the region."
© Reuters 2008. All Rights Reserved.
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