U.S. to help fight piracy in SE Asia

U.S. to help fight piracy in SE Asia

SINGAPORE (DPA): The chief of the U.S. Coast Guard has offered his organization's expertise in the fight against maritime piracy in Southeast Asia, citing similarities to the U.S. battle against drug smuggling in the Caribbean, a published report said on Tuesday.

"These things have common roots," Commandant Admiral James M. Loy told The Shipping Times. "It's about law and order and ... less about anything that is naturally traceable to the nation state."

Loy said he would be more than happy to share lessons learned from the coast guard's experiences from drug law enforcement in the fight against piracy, including crisis management training.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) reports incidents of piracy have been rising steadily in recent years, with Indonesian waters and the Malacca Straits ranking among the top hot spots in the world.