Pirates not having it all their own way on the world's high seas

Malaysian Defense Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, was quoted in the report as pointing to more coordination between his nation, Singapore and Indonesia.

"The formation of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and the increase in coordinated patrols among the authorities of the littoral states has proved most effective in securing the straits." he said.

At a naval base in Singapore, the government is building the Changi Command and Control Center, to be operational in 2009 to coordinate operations against pirates and terrorists.

"The trans-boundary nature of maritime crime and terrorism," Singaporean Defense Minister Teo Chee Hean (張志賢) said, "coupled with the limited resources of states, demand that security and enforcement agencies, port authorities and shipping associations, come together to cooperate."

The International Maritime Bureau, however, injected two notes of caution. Every attempt at piracy may not be reported and thus it may be worse than calculated. Moreover, the downturn "should not induce complacency." Vigilance, the bureau said, has always been the best defense.

As if on cue after the bureau report was published, four pirates boarded a chemical tanker at anchor in the Singapore Straits. The armed robbers broke into the engine room, stole valuable spare parts, and escaped.

Richard Halloran is a writer based in Hawaii.