Piracy is one of the oldest and most lucrative illicit professions. It is an aggressive and often violent means to embezzle goods and capital, with the possibility of providing temporary but effective acquiescence from the stakeholders. Opportunities for attack and escape, be it in harbor or on the high seas are aplenty in the maritime arena and it usually takes the collective effort of nation states to crack down on what is essentially a trans-national criminal activity.

This essay compares the origin and evolution of piracy in the Gulf of Aden, off the coast of Somalia against the Malacca strait on the South China Sea. While both these indispensable maritime routes have been plagued by piracy, it is only the Southeast Asian littoral states that have been able to contain the beast.

Apart from the dearth of strong stable governance, there are other factors including the differing progression of piracy as well as the existing infrastructure and laws in the two regions, which contribute to the current circumstance. Pirates are essentially businessmen. The maritime arena is a highly material world where both the marauder as well as the marauded is looking for the most cost efficient means of doing business. Piracy is a complex problem that cannot be solved overnight nor entirely done away with in the near future. It can however be contained to the extent that it is a marginal concern as opposed to a looming menace.

This essay looks into various political, legal and regional issues and challenges.