India: Bad cop in a predicament?

09/22/2011
By Karsten Von Hoesslin, Senior Analyst, Risk Intelligence Strategic Insights, No. 32, May 2011 09/22/2011 - On 29 September 2010, the Panama flagged asphalt tanker ASPHALT VENTURE was hijacked by Somali pirates off the Tanzanian coast. On 15 April 2011, after 200 days of detention and an estimated US$3.2 to…

South East Asia’s Dynamic Maritime Threat Environment

09/15/2011
By Karsten Von Hoesslin, Senior Analyst, Risk Intelligence Strategic Insights, No. 30, February 2011 09/25/2011 Overview A considerable increase in reported incidents occurred between 2009 and 2010 with elevated levels of sophisticated piracy and armed sea robbery in the South China Sea, the Sulu Sea, and nearing the end of…

The Japanese Coast Guard: Japan’s “hidden navy?”

09/08/2011
By Tetsuo Kotani, Special Research Fellow, the Okazaki Institute, Tokyo Strategic Insights, No. 31, March 2011 09/08/2011 - Surrounded by the sea on all sides, Japan enjoys the benefits of the waters around it in the form of fishery and maritime trade with countries around the world. However, these waters…

Maritime and Port Security in Pakistan

04/21/2011
By Mathias Hagstrøm, Stud. Scient. Soc., Roskilde University Strategic Insights No 27 October 2010 4/21/2011 - With a population of more than 180 million people and being a potential gateway for Central Asian and western Chinese trade, Pakistan is a very interesting developing market. But with problems of insurgency groups…

Developments in Pirate Trends and Tactics

04/01/2011
By Karsten Von Hoesslin, Senior Analyst, Risk Intelligence Strategic Insights, No. 28 (November 2010) 04/01/2011 - Evidenced in other parts of the world, particularly in South East Asia, piracy that adapts to countermeasures and re-strategizes is always the most effective. Somali pirates have proven to be no different in terms of…

Gulf to Remain Prime Theater for Iranian Deterrence

10/08/2010
By Dr. Heinrich Matthee, Academic Head, Black Hall College London Dr. Heinrich Matthee is a political and security risk analyst specializing on the Middle East and Muslim politics worldwide. Dr. Matthee has more than 14 years' experience of advising governments, multinational companies and NGOs. 10/08/2010 - This article was originally…