Representatives of the international maritime community met in Bahrain on Tuesday to discuss counter-piracy efforts at the 36th SHADE conference.
The Shared Awareness & Deconfliction (SHADE) conference offers a vital opportunity for military and civilian representatives to meet, share information and discuss cooperation opportunities to maintain the current suppression of piracy in the region. The conference discussed the causes of piracy, deterrence operations and the protection of merchant shipping.
Rear Admiral Hiroshi Ito, Commander of the Japanese-led multinational counter-piracy task force, Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, said that a collaborative approach is important:
It is by working with other task forces and regional partners that we are able to deliver the most effective deterrent and capitalize on the efficient use of our resources. Working together in this way optimizes counter piracy efforts through international cooperation by globally engaged nations and partners.
While piracy in the Somalia region has been suppressed in recent years, the causes and threat to shipping still remain. The multi-national, multi-agency approach taken by SHADE is unique in addressing piracy concerns.
The collaborative approach has proved effective in preventing acts of piracy. There have been no successful pirate attacks since May 2012. However, it is assessed that the threat could re-emerge without an effective counter-piracy deterrent presence.
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Image:CMF