"These depressing statistics underline the pressing need to address maritime security to the fullest extent possible. A recently released Rand Corporation report suggests that security on the high seas has played second fiddle to security on land in the post 9/11 world, given the pressure on many governments to invest in expensive homeland security initiatives. With piracy now targeted toward strategically vital cargo's it is high time maritime security is elevated up the security agenda," comments Peter Jones, managing director, TranSec World Expo.

The high profile seizure in November of the Sirius Star, carrying one quarter of Saudi Arabia's daily output of crude oil and bound for the United States of America, illustrates clearly that piracy is no longer limited to inshore waters. The supertanker was seized 450 nautical miles (830km) of the Kenyan Coast and taken to the port of Eyl in Somalia. It was only released in early January following payment of a ransom reported to be around USD 3 million.

The largest number of acts of piracy during the past twelve months have occurred in the Gulf of Aden and off the east coast of Somalia. IMB-PRC statistics reveal 111 attacks against shipping in 2008, which represents a 200 per cent increase in activity over the previous year. The waters off Nigeria have also become a hot-spot for acts of piracy according to IMB-PRC report with 40 reported incidents. A worrying trend is the increased amount of violence being used against crews. The report states that 11 crew members were killed, 21 are missing presumed dead and 32 were injured during the reporting period.

Human trafficking will also focus highly at the TranSec World Expo maritime conference as incidences of the trafficking of young women, often into prostitution in the European region, continue to climb to worrying proportions. Africa's sub Sahara region remains a particular hot-spot for this inhuman activity, with countries such as Nigeria continuing to be singled out in many official reports.

"Human trafficking is a long standing issue the world over and improvement in port security as well as enhanced container screening are just two ways in which the maritime industry can help to eradicate this nauseous illegal activity," concludes Peter Jones.

The TranSec World Expo maritime security conference is being held 3-4 April 2009 at the RAI Amsterdam in the Netherlands.