Based on new pirate tactics and new lessons learned, Combined Maritime Forces have issued a warning to the shipping industry:
Merchants are urged to use the weather to their advantage, planning new routing off the east coast of Somalia due to the start of the southwest monsoon season.
Additionally,
...pirates have also recently increased their number of attacks during the hours of darkness, highlighting the need for heightened vigilance of merchant mariners during both day and night time transits through the high risk areas.
Further,
The advisory provides routing advice to minimize the risk of attack during the southwest monsoon, noting that the sea conditions off the East coast of Africa during the period from end of May to early September will reduce the likelihood of successful attack. Mariners are encouraged to take advantage of areas of heightened sea state but should continue to remain at a high state of alert.
(ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 6/10/09)
