The annual conference of the anti-piracy body, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) - a branch of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) – named the three piracy hot spots of the current times.
It agreed that these were the Indian Ocean (the Gulf of Aden and Somalia), South-East Asia and West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea.
Meanwhile, the major players, the military forces of EU Navfor and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) and the world’s largest international shipping association, Bimco, were all of the opinion that piracy in the Indian Ocean is supressed, but not eradicated.
During extensive discussions on piracy and maritime security issues, it was pointed out that the best defence was a combination of measures - best management practice, shipboard armed guards and a heightened naval presence. These, it was agreed, had appeared to be effective in reducing pirate attacks and their severity worldwide.
But it was also stressed that these measures had to remain a combined effort. Removing any one would again open the doors for successful pirate attacks.
Boeing looks at single-aisle aircraft conversions to freighters
Boeing is in the planning stages of converting its 737-800 passenger planes to freighters.
These freighters, said the company, would be primarily targeted at the express parcels industry.
Boeing already sells three types of dedicated freighter - the 767, 777 and 747-8 - and also passenger-to-freight conversions of the 767.
Its latest scheme to convert 737s followed soon after Airbus once again announced its own plans to convert its A320 aircraft – like the 737, a single-aisle passenger plane.
According to Reuters, Airbus has established a partnership with Singapore’s ST Aerospace after its earlier proposal for A320 conversions in alliance with Russian aviation interests “stalled on costs and jet values”.
