Training anti-piracy professionals in legal issues

Maritime piracy has made a sudden comeback in the beginning of the 21th century. In order to eliminate the maritime piracy threat, international organizations and states have launched anti-piracy operations off the Coast of Somalia and in other regions. In addition to these initiatives, the maritime industry has addressed to the private maritime security companies for security solutions, such as armed guards on board merchant vessels. As a result, state agents (Navy and Coast Guard personnel) and private individuals (maritime security contractors) conduct anti-piracy operations in international waters under a complex set of national and international laws, both official and unofficial. The author has researched on the training of anti-piracy professionals in legal issues, prior to their deployment in anti-piracy operations, trying to estimate the level of their legal consciousness, in other words, the effectiveness of the legal training courses tailored for anti-piracy professionals. In this effort, he applied Prof. Werner Menski's "kite model" which can be used by adult educators for a better understanding and teaching of the complex set of rules regulating anti-piracy operations.