Somali pirates continue their attacks against international ships in and around the Gulf of Aden, despite the deterrent of stepped-up international naval escorts and patrols – and the increased failure rate of their attacks. Under agreements with Somalia, the U.N, and each other, ships belonging to fifteen countries now patrol the area. Somali pirates – who have won themselves nearly $200 million in ransom since early 2008 – are being captured more frequently now, and handed over to authorities in Kenya, Yemen and Somalia for trial. Collected here are some recent photos of piracy off the coast of Somalia, and the international efforts to rein it in.

A parachute dropped by a small aircraft is observed by the U.S. Navy as it drops over the MV Sirius Star during an apparent payment via a parachuted container to pirates holding the Sirius Star off the coast of Somalia, January 9, 2009. Somali pirates then freed the Saudi supertanker seized in the world’s biggest ship hijacking for a $3 million ransom – but five drowned when their boat capsized as they were making off with their share. (REUTERS/David B. Hudson/U.S. Navy photo/Handout

found on boston.com

Pasha Bulker – a huge freighter grounded in Australia

A 820-foot-long coal freighter sits aground close to Newcastle, Australia – pushed into the sand bank by the storm swell and extreme winds. (more info)
Some of the photographs look like they’d been photoshopped – so unreal is the combination of a beached ship and suburban golf courses and houses.

found on darkroastedblend.com

RUPERT PROFESSIONAL BOATS

The one thing all of our customers have in common is the extremely high demands they put on their boats. Sjöfarts-verket – the Swedish National Maritime Administration – the Airborne Special Forces of the Swedish Royal Marines, Police and Fire departments all demand the highest standards of performance and reliability. These boats are their work tools, secure and economical to run and maintain. It is the demands of our customers that sets the standard for every Rupert boat we build.

found on rupertmarine.com

At GUL, a Swedish watch brand, we do not ever compromise on quality.

All GUL watches have screw-down case backs and are tested to a pressure of at least 10 atmospheres.
This means you can shower, swim, snorkel and do water sports with it. If you want to scuba dive, we recommend one of our 20 atmosphere models.

To make sure they live up to these standards, GUL watches are made from stainless steel a robust, durable and corrosion-free materials. They are equipped with hardened mineral glass and double o-ring or screw-down crowns.

Several of our watches have titanium case backs, which is helpful for those with nickel allergies.
GUL watches are equipped with high tech quartz movements from Miyota.
GUL watches come with a 2-year guarantee.
GUL watches are available from leading retailers.

found on gulwatches.com

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of seven uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission (with jurisdiction in both domestic and international waters) and a federal regulatory agency mission as part of its mission set. It operates under the Department of Homeland Security during peacetime, and can be transferred to theDepartment of the Navy by the President or Congress during time of war.

Founded by Alexander Hamilton as the Revenue Cutter Service on 4 August 1790, it lays claim to being the United States’ oldest continuous seagoing service. As of August 2009, the Coast Guard had approximately 42,000 men and women on active duty, 7,500 reservists, 29,000 auxiliarists, and 7,700 full-time civilian employees.^[3]

The Coast Guard’s legal authority differs from the other four armed services and it operates simultaneously under Title 10 of theUnited States Code and its other organic authorities, e.g., Titles 6, 14, 19, 33, 46, etc. Because of its legal authority, the Coast Guard can conduct military operations under the Department of Defense or directly for the President in accordance with Title 14 USC 1-3.

The Coast Guard’s enduring roles are Maritime Safety, Maritime Security, and Maritime Stewardship. To carry out those roles the Coast Guard has eleven statutory missions as defined in 6 U.S.C. § 468.

The Coast Guard motto is “Semper Paratus“, Latin for “Always Ready” or “Always Prepared”